Human Smuggling Narratives

We monitor human smuggling narratives as the online glorification or normalisation of illegal border crossings that hide the severe risks of trafficking, extortion, and death.

We track how information disorder romanticises irregular migration pathways, especially among desperate youth in Bangladesh looking for economic opportunities abroad.

These narratives, often spreading through short-form video apps, actively downplay the dangers and hide the involvement of ruthless smuggling networks.

International law enforcement agencies warn that these glamorised narratives directly feed the business of human smuggling and exploitation.

We combat this trend through targeted counter-narrative campaigns and deep migration studies. We work with journalists to report accurately on the horrors of smuggling routes.

Through community engagement, we create spaces for returned migrants to share their true, unfiltered experiences. This breaks the cycle of online deception for anyone thinking about taking these dangerous journeys.