WEBINAR
Child Exploitation: Parental Guidance in the Digital Age
Speaker Spotlight
Brandon Poor
Brandon Poor is a Law Enforcement Officer at the Grand Prairie Police Department.
Brandon Poor is an 18-year law enforcement veteran who founded an Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and investigates online exploitation. A certified cell phone and computer forensic examiner, he has conducted hundreds of examinations, testified as an expert, and trains others on protecting children online.
Q & A
What are the most commonly used apps or platforms where perpetrators target children today?
The boring, but true answer, is any app that can be used for one person to communicate with another can be used for exploitation. But, the most current answer, is the most popular apps are still those we see exploitation on the most. The applications that have the most on them, like Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, and others like them are most common.
What tactic are online perpetrators using more frequently that professionals might overlook?
I believe gaming is one of the most common exploitation locations and places perpetrators use to target kids, and is often overlooked by professionals.
What’s one way MDT members can better support law enforcement in online exploitation cases?
Communication and teamwork. Kids are often even more afraid to disclose everything they've done or been through in an online exploitation case because they fear getting in trouble with their guardians, or losing their devices.
So, unlike other CAC cases, sometimes a forensic interview gets far less information than conversations with advocates, therapists, and other MDT personnel. Those conversations sometimes glean more information, as well as helping the parents to buy into the investigation and allow access to devices and accounts that might make a case.
If you could give one piece of advice to a new investigator entering this space, what would it be?
Don't discount CyberTips. Some new investigators like the cool factor of undercover chat cases, and those have their place. But, CyberTips in my experience have been the reports with as much or more hands on offenders than any others, leading to the rescue of children. We are overwhelmed by work, so spend your time doing what you can to identify and rescue victims!
If attendees remember just one takeaway from your webinar, what do you hope it is?
Child exploitation is FAR more common than human trafficking. Child exploitation is a smaller subset of child abuse, and will happen to children in the community far more likely than some other types of child crimes. Educate the children in your community about sextortion, as it's the most common type of exploitation we have seen in the last 5-7 years.