Several readers sent word that Google has announced its
intention to start fighting
drug cartels and other 'illicit networks.' According to a post on the
official blog, the company thinks modern technology plays a key role in helping
to 'expose and dismantle global criminal networks, which depend on secrecy and
discretion in order to function.' They're holding a summit in Los Angeles this
week, which aims to 'bring together a full-range of stakeholders, from
survivors of organ trafficking, sex trafficking and forced labor to government
officials, dozens of engineers, tech leaders and product managers from Google
and beyond. Through the summit, which lasts until Wednesday, we hope to
discover ways that technology can be used to expose and disrupt these networks
as a whole—and to put some of these ideas into practice.'
Violent
illicit networks represent a trillion-dollar problem that affects every
society in the world and claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year. For
example, more than 50,000 people have died in the past five years as a result
of the ongoing war in Mexico between rival drug cartels. And although data on
this subject is scarce and often unreliable, in 2003 the UN estimated the value
of the illicit drug market to be nearly $320 billion, greater than the gross
domestic product of 88 percent of countries in the world—and that was almost 10
years ago. It’s clear that illicit networks—particularly those that are violent
and coercive like drug smugglers, arms dealers and human traffickers—have a
devastating human and financial impact on every nation.
We think Google can help. Eighteen months ago we launched Google Ideas with the belief that Google is in the unique position to explore the role that technology can play in tackling some of the toughest human challenges in the world. Our first area of focus was counter-radicalization; last year we convened the Summit Against Violent Extremism with former gang members, right-wing extremists, jihadists and militants as well as survivors of violent extremism. Among the many outcomes of the summit was a platform that we established as a one-stop shop for tackling violent extremism through formers and survivors.
Recently, we’ve expanded our focus to include violent illicit networks such as narco-trafficking, human trafficking, organ harvesting and arms dealing. We believe that technology has the power to expose and dismantle global criminal networks, which depend on secrecy and discretion in order to function. And for the past few months, we’ve been working with people fighting on the front line to gain a better understanding of what drives these networks and how they function.
This week, in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations and the Tribeca Film Festival, we’re convening Illicit Networks: Forces in Opposition (or the INFO summit) in Los Angeles, Calif. Too often illicit networks are seen only in the silos of those who study them. This summit aims to break down those silos by bringing together a full-range of stakeholders, from survivors of organ trafficking, sex trafficking and forced labor to government officials, dozens of engineers, tech leaders and product managers from Google and beyond. Through the summit, which lasts until Wednesday, we hope to discover ways that technology can be used to expose and disrupt these networks as a whole—and to put some of these ideas into practice.
We think Google can help. Eighteen months ago we launched Google Ideas with the belief that Google is in the unique position to explore the role that technology can play in tackling some of the toughest human challenges in the world. Our first area of focus was counter-radicalization; last year we convened the Summit Against Violent Extremism with former gang members, right-wing extremists, jihadists and militants as well as survivors of violent extremism. Among the many outcomes of the summit was a platform that we established as a one-stop shop for tackling violent extremism through formers and survivors.
Recently, we’ve expanded our focus to include violent illicit networks such as narco-trafficking, human trafficking, organ harvesting and arms dealing. We believe that technology has the power to expose and dismantle global criminal networks, which depend on secrecy and discretion in order to function. And for the past few months, we’ve been working with people fighting on the front line to gain a better understanding of what drives these networks and how they function.
This week, in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations and the Tribeca Film Festival, we’re convening Illicit Networks: Forces in Opposition (or the INFO summit) in Los Angeles, Calif. Too often illicit networks are seen only in the silos of those who study them. This summit aims to break down those silos by bringing together a full-range of stakeholders, from survivors of organ trafficking, sex trafficking and forced labor to government officials, dozens of engineers, tech leaders and product managers from Google and beyond. Through the summit, which lasts until Wednesday, we hope to discover ways that technology can be used to expose and disrupt these networks as a whole—and to put some of these ideas into practice.
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