Spotlight is an AI-powered platform developed by Thorn and operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to help locate and identify exploited children who are publicly advertised on the internet. The system uses image and object recognition technology along with advanced open text searches to analyze open-source information available online. This tool assists law enforcement investigators in child trafficking and exploitation cases by helping them identify victims more efficiently.
The platform includes facial recognition technology that has been developed by the vendor but is currently disabled and not in use by RCMP personnel. The system processes personal information and is currently in production use by Government of Canada employees. Notifications are provided when the system is used in investigations. All processing relies on publicly available open-source information rather than data collected directly from individuals.
