911勛圖

Congratulations to Sydney Brown for successfully defending her MA thesis titled ���Policing sex work online: Sex workers��� views on the risks and benefits of using AI to police online ads for sexual services.���

Abstract

This thesis explored the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based policing models in law enforcement anti-trafficking initiatives and examined potential impacts of expanding state surveillance through police use of AI-based policing models. Computer scientists aspire to develop AI to identify victims of trafficking through websites that host ads for sexual services. Little research has explored sex workers��� views on the proposed AI-based policing models and their likely impacts. To fill this gap, I conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with sex workers, academics, and members of sex worker rights organizations to discuss the effects of AI-based policing models. Participants expressed concern that these models will continue a long history of anti-trafficking initiatives causing harm, particularly against racialized, migrant, and transgender sex workers. Findings also suggest developers should be cautious about creating AI-based policing models without input of sex workers and without a firm knowledge base of the sex industry.