Leveraging Technology to Measure the Strength of Demand for Commercial and Trafficked Sex

Author: Shively, Michael; Rodgers, Bob; Furlong, Courtney & Ruffin, Brooke

Abstract: The article examines Transaction Intercept (TI), an artificial‑intelligence platform designed to reduce sex trafficking by disrupting the revenue streams that draw organized crime into the market. Transaction Intercept deploys decoy online ads that appear to offer commercial sexual exploitation or prostitution. Automated "decoy" personas connect to individuals who click on these ads and engage them in text conversations. These exchanges can remain fully automated, ending with deterrence messages, or be transferred to police for potential enforcement action or to trained volunteers who attempt to discourage further attempts to buy sex. Transaction Intercept generates extensive, real‑time data on local demand for commercial sex, including the characteristics of ads that attract buyers, the number of unique individuals who respond, and behavioral patterns by sex. Transaction Intercept generates extensive, real‑time data on local demand, including the characteristics of ads that attract buyers, the number of unique individuals who respond, behavioral patterns among sex buyers, and the outcomes of each interaction. Provided at no cost to law enforcement, the system allows agencies to quickly assess the scale and traits of consumer‑level demand for sex trafficking within their jurisdiction. In its current deployment, Transaction Intercept has facilitated more than 700,000 text exchanges and identified over 25,000 sex buyers across over 75 U.S. cities. The article outlines how this technology can inform public policy, strengthen law‑enforcement practice, and be adapted for use in other national contexts.

Keywords: sex trafficking, prostitution, demand reduction, information technology