Blockchain May Assist in the Fight Against Human Trafficking, Says UK Princess and US Ambassador

Blockchain technology is gaining new trials every month as various jurisdictions examine the technology to see what it can offer them. Considering the way that blockchain can track certain information, along with many other features, it has recently been suggested to be used in efforts to stop human trafficking by Princess Eugenie of the United Kingdom and Ambassador John Richmond of the United States. The two added that the use of phone apps would also end up helping in these efforts.  

At a conference by the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), which was held in Vienna, Austria, attention was brought to the increase in internet usage that has made it easier for traffickers to go after targets. Prince Eugenie, which is the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth, said that this blockchain technology could be used as an advantage in fighting trafficking. Princess Eugenie added that she has learned about the ways that blockchain technology has positively influenced supply chain management, adding that she learned

“how an app in Britain can help the public report modern slavery at car washes.” 

The reference that Princess Eugenie made was in regard to an initiative set up by Coca Cola and the US Department of State, along with the Safe Car Wash App. The former is a project that started in March last year, using blockchain technology to establish a secure worker registry. The whole point is to help with issues regarding forced labor by implementing blockchain technology that can validate a registry for both workers and their contracts.  

The creation of the Safe Car Wash App has helped with nearly 1,000 cases involving slave labor in the UK in different car washes. The app was an effort of both the Catholic Church in England and Wales and the Church of England last summer. Users on the app can input their location, along with the indications that slave labor may be happening. According to reports from Reuters, there are about 136,000 slave laborers in the UK alone, rising up by 1000% in the last six years.