Crowdsourcing to Tackle Online Child Sexual Exploitation: Europol’s ‘Stop Child Abuse—Trace an Object’ Platform

Abstract

This article examines how Europol’s ‘Stop Child Abuse—Trace an Object’ (SCATO) platform uses crowdsourcing to collect tips from the public in order to tackle online child sexual exploitation. The article evaluates the platform's effectiveness based on three key factors: how easy it is for the public to access the platform, the transaction costs involved in gathering information from the public, and how trust is established between the public and law enforcement agencies. By analyzing Europol documents and conducting interviews with law enforcement officers and non-governmental organizations, the article argues that the SCATO platform is user-friendly and accessible to the public. However, in order to reduce the searching cost of intelligence gathering, the images shared on the platform should encourage high-value reporting without compromising victim anonymity. Additionally, the platform should also benefit from clear guidelines and feedback mechanisms to encourage more public participation.