This archive report was first published on 5 November 2019.
On November 5, 2019, a BBC Africa Eye report exposed a disturbing trend in Kuwait, where some apps on Google and Apple were being used to buy and sell maids.
The investigation, titled 'Silicon Valley's Online Slave Market,' alleged that the two companies had been approving and providing apps used to promote human trafficking and modern slavery.
According to the report, the apps were popularized using hashtags such as '#maidsfortransfer' and accounts on Facebook-owned Instagram and other apps.
Through an undercover investigation, the team found a 16-year-old girl being offered for sale in Kuwait on an app known as 4Sale, with a price tag of Ksh.392,502.
The girl was being sold alongside second-hand cars, lawnmowers, and TVs, highlighting the shocking nature of the human trafficking.
Facebook responded to the expose by stating that they do not allow content or behavior on Instagram that may lead to human exploitation and that they had banned the hashtag '#maidsfortransfer' as much of the content violated their policies.
However, the BBC reported that hundreds of Instagram accounts were still active and selling domestic workers, despite Facebook's claims of removing 703 violating accounts.
Google and Apple also responded to the allegations, with Google stating that they were deeply troubled by the allegations and that this type of activity had no place on Google Play.
Apple said that they strictly prohibit the solicitation or promotion of illegal behavior, including human trafficking and child exploitation in the App Store and across every part of their business.
