A multi-site data sample for analyzing the online commercial sex ecosystem

Online sex advertisements (sex ads) have been linked to many U.S. sex trafficking cases. However, since the closure of the dominant website, Backpage.com (Backpage), many competing sites have emerged that are hosted in countries where U.S. law enforcement organizations have no jurisdiction. Although the online ecosystem has changed significantly, very little research uses data from sites other than Backpage, and even less uses data from multiple sites. This paper presents an anonymized dataset derived from the text and image artifacts of more than 10 million sex ads. By making this dataset publicly available, we aim to reduce barriers to entry for researchers interested in conducting data-driven counter-trafficking research. The dataset can be used to test hypotheses related to sex ads and intersite connectivity, understand the posting processes employed by prominent sites in the current online sex ad ecosystem, and develop multidisciplinary approaches for estimating ad legitimacy. Progress in any of these areas can result in potentially lifesaving interventions for ST victims.