When a Human Trafficking Hashtag Got Hijacked

On April 29, 2021, our Founder Ali Soufan spoke in the McCain Institute’s annual Sedona Forum, as a part of its Defending Democracy series. Moderated by Kristen Abrams, the panel “When a Human Trafficking Hashtag Got Hijacked,” featured an introduction by Ernie Allen and remarks by Congressman Tom Malinowski and Catherine Chen. Panelists discussed the impact of the far right conspiratorial movement QAnon on human trafficking. Mr. Soufan highlighted the “disinformation terrorism nexus,” noting similarities between the tactics used by the QAnon movement and the so-called Islamic State. While stating that the movement is undoubtedly a U.S. national security threat, he stressed the importance of understanding QAnon as a transnational issue with global security implications.