The Power of Social Media in Searching for Missing Children in China

• In Event: Understanding Human and Sex Trafficking

Abstract

Internal trafficking in children in China has gained increasing public attention in the last two decades with the development of social media. The power of social media networks has been strengthened by widened access to internet for over 420 million individuals as well as the open, fast, and cost-effective nature of social networks. First, this study briefly examines the criminal code in China for the trafficking, kidnapping, selling, and purchasing of children. Second, this study analyzes contents from available social media posts that are posted by families of missing children to examine the characteristics of these children, including gender, age when missing, and geographic information. 150 posts were analyzed, with each post containing between 25 and 50 comments. Third, this study analyzes responses to these posts, including likes and comments. This study captures the complex picture of how trafficking in children is perceived by the public in China and advocates for stronger criminal sanctions on not only trafficking, kidnapping, and selling, but also purchasing of these children.

Authors

• Jing Xiao, University of New Haven

• Kevin Barnes-Ceeney, University of New Haven