06-10, 09:45–09:55 (Europe/Vilnius), Panel Room III - I-408
Live streaming has led to a relatively new phenomenon in online child abuse (Jeney, 2015).The live streaming of child sexual abuse, also known as Live Distant Child Abuse (LDCA), comprises
the instantaneous airing of a child being forced or coerced into performing or engaging in sexual acts in front of a webcam (International Justice Mission, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant impact on this type of child exploitation. With offenders experiencing restrictions in physical contact opportunities, the availability of live-streaming services has served as an alternative way to accessing children flaming an increase in this category of abuse.
Not all live streaming child exploitation is carried out through pay-per-view services. Evidence suggests that certain live streaming services offer a meeting point as opposed to direct sexual performances. This allows offenders to operate beneath the radar in what appears to be a legitimate environment. Evidence indicates that offenders operate under the watchful eye of moderators and have developed techniques to work around controls. This study explores the behaviour of broadcasters and their audiences in an attempt to understand the dynamics of this category of live streaming services. Popular streaming sites such as vk.com, ok.ru, periscope.tv and twitch.com were used as backdrop to understand the relationship between young broadcasters and their audience. All sites observed appear to offer legitimate services that are not purposely designed for child exploitation. Observations of live broadcasts focused on texts posted by participants during sessions and the overall demeanour of the audience. A typology of audience interaction patterns and behaviours emerges offering us a better understanding of their efforts to grab broadcaster attention and trust. The manner in which offenders interact with potential victims differs demanding a tailor made approach towards providing an effective response. This understanding offers us a better opportunity to stop the abuse at source through the introduction of direct interventions intended to safeguard the interest of young internet users.
Paul served as a police officer for over twenty-five years. During his policing career he was responsible for setting up the police ICT Department. As project manager he oversaw the implementation of major transnational and national ICT-related projects. During the same period, he was also responsible for setting up a specialist cybercrime section for the Malta Police Force. Apart from being involved in global and local investigations, he has been a pioneer in several cyber-related areas including legislation, investigation methodologies and training. The latter saw him forge a career in training with CEPOL and later as Director of Studies at the Academy for Disciplined Forces. He has also served several international organisations, particularly in the field of cybersecurity and education.
Paul is a senior visiting lecturer at the Department of Criminology, University of Malta. He specialises in cyber criminology but also lectures on financial crime and interpersonal violence. Paul joined the Malta Financial Services Authority in March 2020 and currently holds the position of Head of Due Diligence.