Dr. Bryce Westlake
As an internationally recognized authority and PhD-level researcher with over 15 years of experience, I synthesize complex digital forensic data and behavioral evidence into actionable, scientifically defensible insights for legal, corporate, and criminal justice stakeholders. My practice bridges the gap between advanced empirical methodology, statistical modeling, and the rigorous evidentiary demands of litigation and policy implementation. I provide attorneys and decision-makers with objective, peer-reviewed foundations needed to accurately contextualize evidence, navigate sensitive discovery materials, and deliver authoritative courtroom testimony.
In the domain of digital safety and platform governance, I specialize in the detection, distribution, and prevention of online child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Having delivered high-level briefings to the United Nations, global technology leaders, international financial coalitions, and law enforcement agencies, I advise organizations on developing robust social media standards, anti-grooming protocols, and automated detection systems. For legal teams, my work focuses on translating intricate technical forensic data, platform compliance metrics, and detection algorithms into clear, operationally viable analysis that withstands intense legal scrutiny and meets the highest standards of admissibility.
Complementing my forensic work, I am a leading scholar in the empirical study of BDSM and kink subcultures, focusing on participant motivations, psychological well-being, interpersonal negotiation, and community norms. I assist litigation teams in deciphering specialized digital communications, subcultural vernacular, and community structures and norms within evidence reviews. By applying rigorous, evidence-based consent frameworks and evaluating safety mechanisms unique to these communities, I help attorneys distinguish consensual, risk-mitigated practices from non-consensual behavior, enabling trial counsel to challenge prevailing misconceptions, clarify complex subcultural contexts, and effectively advocate for their clients before judges and juries.
- Artificial Intelligence
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Criminalistics
- Criminology
- Cybercrime
- Cybersecurity
- Internet
- Multimedia
- Photography
- Technology
- Benefits and Risks of Implementing Cloud-Based Technology for CSA Investigations
- Establishing a Framework for the Ethical and Legal Use of Web Scrapers
- Using File and Folder Naming and Structure to Improve Automated Detection of CSAM
- Developing Automated Methods to Detect and Match Faces and Voices in CSAM
- The Past, Present, and Future of Online Child Sexual Exploitation
- The Ethics of Web Crawling and Web Scraping in Cybercrime Research
- Delineating Victims from Perpetrators - Prosecuting Self-Produced CSAM
- Pathways Into BDSM Participation - An International Survey
- BDSM Safety in Pornography
- Perceptions of Police among BDSM Participants
- The Role of Pornography in Learning about BDSM
Available Upon Request