372: How Traffickers Use TikTok the Same Way Brands Do
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Why aren’t parental‑control apps enough to stop online exploitation?
When we come in and we s try to say, Hey, if anybody reaches out to you, here's what I want you to do. We actually shut down their thinking. And we miss the opportunity for connection.
Parents are exhausted trying to keep up with every new app, trend, and privacy update. This episode explores why the answer may not be finding the perfect parental control. But helping young people recognize manipulation, build critical thinking skills, and know who they can safely talk to when something feels off online. Hi, I'm Alicia. I'm a student here at Vanguard and I help produce the show. Today, Sandy talks with Krista Veans, Executive Director of Central Valley Justice Coalition and author of the Understanding Human Trafficking series. And now, here's their conversation.
I am so happy today to have my dear friend and long time colleague in the anti-human trafficking space. Krista Weens. She's the executive director of the Central Valley Justice Coalition. And she's been doing human trafficking prevention for a very long time. We're probably not even gonna go into how long we've been doing this together, right, Krista? Right. Yeah. Oh wow. So yes, yes. And um you also have done some writing. What is the understanding human trafficking series about?
Oh yeah, we've created several classes that we've taught for many years now. And those we have a one oh one, two oh one, three oh one series that educate all sectors of our community about the realities of human trafficking and particularly the places where we often overlook trafficking or mislabel it.
Okay, and so much of media a It makes it seem more extreme or sensationalized and when we can't see what's right next to us, that's not good for the victims. That's right. Okay, so the last time I saw you was in Sacramento at the PACT 2025 Reignite Convening Conference. Conference and your topic there was trafficking in the age of TikTok. That's right.
How do we keep up? I loved that topic and I'm curious what made you choose that title? Oh.
Well, we at the Justice Coalition work with youth quite a bit. And what we were recognizing is the rapidly changing pace of online exploitation. And not only do we work with youth, but I'm also a mother. I have kids that range from 12 to 19. And so I am right in the thick of it myself. And I am very aware of the challenges that parents face and teachers and all caregivers trying to keep our kids safe, but really truly feeling like we are just chasing after them.
And it seems like as soon as I figure out a setting that is gonna keep my kids safer in my community, there's a new something.
Yes, your phone updates and now all of your settings are changed again.
Oh yeah, there you go. Or the kids are passing around their little secrets about how to override a what looks like a great parental. A privacy tool, but so We're talking about TikTok in ways that I never expected to. But when I mention TikTok, every kid in the room knows what I'm talking about. And The idea of tic tok and trafficking. Seems like this is a theme that we're seeing recruiting happening on, we're seeing exploitation, sex tortion. Are those assumptions accurate?
Yeah, absolutely.
How do traffickers use TikTok’s influencer model the same way brands do?
I think uh you know, at the end of the day, trafficking is a capitalistic endeavor. People are trying to make money, right? And so when we think about all of the things that influencers do, cross platforming and have you know, having all of these multiple accounts that drive people to their website in a a regular industry, we're so adapted to that. And we're failing to recognize that it's actually working the same way in the sex industry and often in ways that prey particularly on our young people.
So the whole influencer. model of monetizing how many likes, that sort of thing, that's driven our youth into this same wave almost of Of trying to compete. And that how how do we as as parents respond and to keep our kids safe.
Yeah. Yeah, that's absolutely right. I so the question, how do we respond? I think this is the challenge because as you mentioned, it it keeps changing. And I think if we're gonna keep looking for a simple way to have a proper setting or get the right app that will help us monitor our kids, we will continue to feel like we are chasing the wind.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Why aren’t parental‑control apps enough to stop online exploitation?
0:00–4:30
2
How do traffickers use TikTok’s influencer model the same way brands do?
4:30–11:03
3
What does the “attention economy” look like for kids on TikTok?
11:03–17:58
4
How can parents shift from rule‑making to curiosity‑driven conversations?
17:58–24:18
5
What practical “guardrail” analogies help teens graduate digital independence?
24:18–30:03