It is deeply concerning to know the extent to which criminals are able to exploit social media platforms to upend the lives of vulnerable people. On Tuesday, this daily reported the story of two underage girls who were preyed upon by a transnational gang that trafficked at least 100 girls to India over a single year. The girls in question, like most such victims, were targeted through TikTok by the traffickers, who convinced them to leave behind their homes and families in pursuit of success as content creators. They did, but then fell into the traps of the syndicate that may have already transferred them to India. Now, they could be victims of anything from forced prostitution to organ harvesting.

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Whose job is it to tackle Bangladesh’s growing cybercrime problem?

There are several factors behind the rise in TikTok trafficking of late. There is the lack of awareness among the poor, particularly young people, who may be adept at using smartphones and the Internet but are unable to identify the pitfalls, such as lucrative job/career-building opportunities offered by traffickers. Equally troubling is the authorities' response to deter these criminals. Take, for instance, the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report by the US State Department that found that while the courts and tribunals in Bangladesh had convicted 94 traffickers in 35 cases during the reporting period, only 33 traffickers received prison terms, while 61 were simply fined. Such punishments appear lenient for criminals luring vulnerable people out of their homes with false promises and putting them at fatal risks. In one of the cases, a Bangladeshi girl named Tumpa Akter was killed in India's Gujarat after being taken there by traffickers who had targeted her through TikTok.

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What does science tell about social media addiction?

We need a multi-dimensional response to address this threat, including organising awareness campaigns, especially in rural areas, to educate individuals to navigate the traps of the cyberspace. It is also important that there are proper trial, prompt conviction and punishment matching the crimes of traffickers, which may deter prospective criminals. Also, strengthening security at our border with India is essential to stop trafficking gangs from operating there.