Conceptualizing an AI-based Police Robot for Preventing Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

Abstract

Child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) needs more attention from a crime prevention perspective. This is the first in a two-part series about the PrevBOT concept, which is an automated tool supporting the police in preventing CSEA in online chat rooms. Part I presents the concept, its theoretical framework, and the technology. Equipped with technology for Authorship Analysis, the tool can identify problematic digital spaces unsafe for children. Given the advancements in machine learning algorithms, PrevBOT may provide predictions concerning age and gender behind online aliases engaged in sexualized speech with children and assist the police in identifying former CSEA offenders who resume the criminal activity online. Part II provides a legal analysis of issues relating to data protection, privacy, and fair trial.

Discouraging the Demand That Fosters Sex Trafficking: Collaboration through Augmented Intelligence

“…Innovative concepts include chatbots, computer programs which can simulate human conversations with people via the Internet. One such chatbot is PrevBOT, [96] an AI-based Police Robot for Preventing Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse initiated in a chatroom environment. Knowledge and research related to online automatic policing, forensic linguistics, criminology, machine learning, and the law underpins the conceptualization and development of PrevBOT by Norwegian researchers who seek to optimize its operation "in an effective, fair, and lawful manner" [96] (p. 2).…”

“…One such chatbot is PrevBOT, [96] an AI-based Police Robot for Preventing Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse initiated in a chatroom environment. Knowledge and research related to online automatic policing, forensic linguistics, criminology, machine learning, and the law underpins the conceptualization and development of PrevBOT by Norwegian researchers who seek to optimize its operation "in an effective, fair, and lawful manner" [96] (p. 2). Similarly, Terre des Hommes' Sweetie 2.0 [97] was a virtual female 10-year-old Philippine chatbot, which tracked, identified, and deterred individuals using the Internet for the purpose of sexually abusing children, and Street Grace's Gracie [98] is a US-based artificial intelligence chatbot that not only warns predators of the implicit risks and consequences of their actions but also provides them with trauma and therapy resources, thus further shifting the boundaries of innovation.…”

Unpacking preventive policing: Towards a holistic framework

“…Online/cyber harassment, abuse and fraud are a newer type of problem that – apart from being criminalized and therefore defined as a problem belonging to the police – have been assigned no clear owner when it comes to prevention (Sunde and Sunde, 2021). In such situations, given Bittner's definition of police work as ‘something-that ought-not-to-be-happening-and-about-which-someone-had-better-do-something-now!’ (2005: 162), the police are often assigned the responsibility of taking a lead in primary and secondary intervention efforts.…”