By Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime 

The last decade and a half has seen an alarming surge in illegal wildlife trade (IWT) on the internet. However, a dearth of data regarding the scale of the market, its dynamics, operations and ramifications, especially on a global scale, is a significant hindrance to combating this crime. To address this, ECO-SOLVE is developing a Global Monitoring System (GMS) to systematically monitor global online IWT and gather data to feed into law enforcement activity and to inform policymaking. The GMS is a network of data hubs in countries whose domestic online markets are considered the largest or most consequential in their regions. The GMS’s national monitoring nodes are being set up in a staggered process and the size and scope of the network will grow with each edition of the Report. This Global Trend Report draws on data from two national data hubs: Brazil and South Africa. By identifying areas of high pressure on endangered species and ecosystems, monitoring may enable targeted interventions and inform law enforcement action to prosecute those responsible for wildlife crimes. Additionally, monitoring can help detect emerging trends and shifts in the trade, allowing for timely and effective responses to new threats and challenges. This is the second publication in a series of Global Trend Reports that aim to showcase and contextualize trends in online IWT. Reports will be published throughout the three years of the ECO-SOLVE project, with about two to four reports released per year. Drawing on findings generated by the GMS, each Global Trend Report will highlight the latest trends in statistical data, including the number of advertisements found, the species advertised as well as the platforms that host these adverts. Diving deeper into individual topics, the reports will offer regional breakdowns and include sections that contextualize and analyze findings, while also investigating changes in regulations and their effects on online IWT as well as trends in law enforcement. The reports will also discuss case studies of online IWT. Following the structure of the first Global Trend Report, the second issue begins with a trend analysis of online IWT drawing on data from regular monitoring carried out between May and July 2024 by GMS data hubs in Brazil and South Africa. The report then takes a closer look at the online and offline illegal trade in Pirarucu in Brazil, as well as the trade routes used and links to cocaine markets. The third section presents a case study of the illegal wildlife trade as linked to traditional medicines in South Africa, highlighting gaps around regulations and enforcement.   

Geneva:  Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 2024. 33p.

By Paul M. Barrett

The main finding of this report is that social science research reveals that social media platforms can be—and often are—exploited to facilitate political intimidation and violence. Certain features of social media platforms make them susceptible to such exploitation, and some of these features should be changed to reduce the danger. “ The main finding of this report is that social science research reveals that social media platforms can be—and often are— exploited to facilitate political intimidation and violence. ” Based on a review of more than 400 studies published by peer-reviewed journals and think tanks, the report provides a platform-by-platform survey focusing on the particular features of each site that make it susceptible to exploitation by extremists promoting intimidation and violence and/or seeking recruits for their various causes. The report emphasizes that neither subjective observation nor social science research indicates that social media platforms are the sole or even primary cause of political intimidation and violence. Other media and irresponsible political leaders play crucial roles. However, the use of social media can enable or facilitate violence in a fashion that deserves attention and mitigation. Most of this problem—extremism and occasional use of force for political ends—occurs on the political right. But the left is not immune to these pathologies. The platforms discussed in the following pages range from some of the best known, like Facebook and YouTube, to the more recently ascendant TikTok to those on the right-wing fringe, such as Gab, Parler, and 4chan. Among the features, we examine are: • Facebook’s Groups, which helped the sometimes-violent QAnon to grow into a full-blown movement devoted to the delusion that former President Donald Trump has secretly battled “deep state” bureaucrats and Satanic pedophiles.1 • Instagram’s comments function, which has allowed the Iranian government to threaten dissidents with sexual assault and death as a way of silencing them.2 • TikTok’s powerful recommendation algorithm, which in one experiment promoted violent videos, including incitement of students to launch attacks at school.3 After a case study of January 6 by our collaborators at Tech Policy Press, the report concludes with recommendations for industry and government.

NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights Leonard N. Stern School of Business 2024. 32p.