S04 E02 Part 1: Human Trafficking in Online Marketplaces (Part 1): Exposing the Threats & Tools to Fight Back

In this episode of the Shadow Dragon podcast, Director of National Security David Cook hosts a conversation for National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The panel features: Matt Richardson, Senior Advisor of Intelligence and Child Safety at the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII) and Head of Intelligence at the Canadian OSINT Center Daniel Clemens, CEO and Founder of Shadow Dragon Elliot Anderson, CTO of Shadow Dragon They discuss how human traffickers operate, the indicators that a child or adult may be at risk, and the ways online investigative tools—particularly open-source intelligence (OSINT) platforms—support law enforcement efforts. Matt shares the emotional toll of these cases and the importance of self-care for investigators, emphasizing that while the work can be harrowing, it is a privilege to help protect vulnerable individuals. The group also highlights the power of community partnerships, legal collaboration, and technology in preventing human trafficking and rescuing victims. This episode is part one of a three-part series focusing on human trafficking and online marketplaces, with a strong warning that some content may be disturbing to listeners. Request to view ShadowDragon and CACI's DarkBlue Intelligence Suite Webinar on using OSINT to find indicators of human trafficking online: https://share.hsforms.com/1dcl3pCneSpOAeQpkQFI66g53lw0Special Guest: Matt Richardson.