The NCMEC leverages technology, including AI-driven data analysis tools and partnerships, to combat child exploitation and abduction, and support law enforcement agencies and families in their efforts to protect children
Every child deserves a safe childhood. Yet each year, countless children around the world go missing or are put in dangerous and vulnerable situations. “There is no corner of the world not touched by these issues,” says Michelle DeLaune, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). “We remain committed to finding new and better ways to reach the people who need us most.”
Founded in 1984, NCMEC is the nation’s largest and most influential child protection organization, dedicated to finding missing kids, stopping child sexual exploitation, and preventing crimes against children. Fulfilling that mission requires a partnership among stakeholders across society. “Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility. It requires both the public and private sector working together, bringing their expertise, tools, and resources to make a difference,” DeLaune says.
In collaboration with law enforcement agencies, families, and child welfare organizations, NCMEC has contributed to the recovery of missing children in more than 400,000 cases.
Unfortunately, child exploitation has reached alarming new heights, fueled partly by the widespread use of social media and advanced technology. Paradoxically, these same digital tools are crucial in combating this issue. NCMEC harnesses online data and analytics to provide vital insights, recognize patterns, and develop global initiatives aimed at safeguarding children. This tech-driven approach enables NCMEC to stay at the forefront of child protection efforts worldwide.
Bringing critical information to light
Indeed, AI-driven technology enables data analysis tools that can comb through copious amounts of data to identify patterns and trends in child exploitation and abduction cases. This helps in pinpointing potential risks and focusing resources where they are most needed. “We need technology that enables us to connect the dots, target cases where there is the most urgent risk to children, and act on them quickly,” DeLaune explains. “We have so much data coming in — more than human beings can sift through to surface the right information. It’s the proverbial needle in a haystack; but in this haystack, the needles we are searching for are children in need of assistance.”
NCMEC has partnered with Thomson Reuters (TR) for 15 years, and according to DeLaune, partnerships with TR and others allow the organization to have access to tools that “help us do our job faster and get the right information out to law enforcement and the public. That’s been a game changer.”
Also, NCMEC analysts use technology on a daily basis to support missing and exploited child investigations, according to Angela Aufmuth, Executive Director of Analytical Programs at NCMEC. “When a report on a missing or exploited child comes into the Center, time is of the essence. We need to analyze data rapidly,” Aufmuth says. “With technology, we’re able to access data from multiple sources, quickly putting together pieces of the puzzle. This enables us to identify possible locations and persons of interest and get that information out to law enforcement agencies so they can perform their investigations in the field.”
Technology can focus investigations
Of course, access to public records is vital. Technology allows NCMEC to quickly sift through data, such as records of deaths, to focus law enforcement efforts more effectively. Whether working on a missing child case, a case of suspected sex trafficking, a noncompliant sex offender, or a child abduction, having access to public records information is absolutely critical, explains Aufmuth.
“Technical solutions have given us the ability to access different types of data very quickly.” she says, adding that data on deaths, for example, have been very useful. “When conducting noncompliant sex offender operations, law enforcement will give us a large amount of information,” Aufmuth notes. “We’re then able to batch that data against the technical resources, quickly identifying individuals who are deceased. This enables law enforcement to conduct investigations in more focused and efficient manner.”
At NCMEC, the focus is entirely on supporting children and their families as they navigate through unimaginable hardships “Having access to these technology tools is absolutely essential to our work. If we did not have access to the data and analysis they provide, we would not be able to support the families we serve and help bring their children home,” Aufmuth explains.
DeLaune agrees, adding: “NCMEC is a lifeline for families searching for a child or helping them rebuild their life after an exploitation issue. And they are grateful for anyone who can enhance our ability to serve them. The families are counting on NCMEC — and in turn, NCMEC counts on technology partners to deliver results.”
You can find more information about protecting children from online exploitation here.
