Computer Vision for Multimedia Geolocation in Human Trafficking
  Investigation: A Systematic Literature Review
Opeyemi Bamigbade John Sheppard Mark Scanlon
The task of multimedia geolocation is becoming an increasingly essential
component of the digital forensics toolkit to effectively combat human
trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and other illegal acts. Typically,
metadata-based geolocation information is stripped when multimedia content is
shared via instant messaging and social media. The intricacy of geolocating,
geotagging, or finding geographical clues in this content is often overly
burdensome for investigators. Recent research has shown that contemporary
advancements in artificial intelligence, specifically computer vision and deep
learning, show significant promise towards expediting the multimedia
geolocation task. This systematic literature review thoroughly examines the
state-of-the-art leveraging computer vision techniques for multimedia
geolocation and assesses their potential to expedite human trafficking
investigation. This includes a comprehensive overview of the application of
computer vision-based approaches to multimedia geolocation, identifies their
applicability in combating human trafficking, and highlights the potential
implications of enhanced multimedia geolocation for prosecuting human
trafficking. 123 articles inform this systematic literature review. The
findings suggest numerous potential paths for future impactful research on the
subject.