The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction

• 37 percent of respondents reported solicitors are increasingly using webcams in thesolicitation process to ensure they are not talking to law enforcement or to induce thechild to produce pornographic images of themselves.• 24 percent of respondents reported that solicitors usually begin conversations byinquiring about the child’s age, sex, and location. They will chat with the child for awhile, send explicit photos of themselves to the child, and then ask the child toreciprocate with pornographic images of themselves.• 21 percent of respondents reported that solicitors are increasingly requesting photos fromthe child to verify that they are not conversing with law enforcement.Interviewees expressed concern that Twitter may be the next most popular tool used by onlinesolicitors to locate potential victims.Most Unique Technologies Used by Online SolicitorsAmong NDIC interviewees:• 74 percent of respondents reported that webcams are the most unique technologicaladvancement used by solicitors.• 53 percent of respondents reported that cell phones and smart phones are commonly usedunique technological advancements used by online solicitors. In most cases, thosedevices allow the offender to contact the victim in relative privacy by note having to calla home telephone and risk interception by a parent, text, and sext.• 26 percent of respondents reported that wireless Internet access are commonly usedunique technological advancements exploited by online solicitors.• 21 percent of respondents reported that social networking sites constitute a commonlyused technological advancement used by online solicitors.Online solicitors are now able to locate victims via cell phones equipped with GPS capabilities.Solicitors are often able to identify where the victim lives through social networking sites (whichcan also be accessed through cell phones equipped with Internet capabilities) and then use theirGPS function to physically locate the child.Technologies used by Online SolicitorsAmong NDIC interviewees:• 77 percent of respondents reported that solicitors are using social networking sites toidentify and contact potential victims.• 59 percent of respondents reported that solicitors are using chat rooms to identify andcontact potential victims.• 54 percent of respondents reported that solicitors are using gaming sites and programs toidentify and contact potential victims.• 24 percent of respondents reported that solicitors are using the online capabilities ofgaming consoles, such as X-Box Live, to identify and contact potential victims.Technology Most Problematic to Law EnforcementAmong NDIC interviewees:• 25 percent of respondents reported that wireless Internet access are problematic in onlineenticement investigations.• 25 percent of respondents reported that social networking sites are problematic in onlineenticement investigations.D-20