Instagram, a subsidiary of Meta, is the main platform used by pedophile networks to promote and sell content that depicts sexual abuse of minors, according to a report by Stanford University and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
“Large networks of accounts that appear to be operated by minors are openly promoting the sale of child pornography,” researchers at Silicon Valley University’s Cyber Policy Center said Wednesday.
“Instagram is currently the most important platform for these networks because of features such as content recommendation algorithms and messaging that help sellers connect with buyers,” they added.
And neither pedophiles nor these networks need to show much ingenuity. According to the WSJ, a simple search with keywords such as #pedowhore or #preteensex shows accounts that use these terms to advertise content that presents sexual abuse of minors, writes AFP and Agerpres.
Often, these profiles “claim to be operated by children themselves and use pseudonyms with sexual connotations”, the article details.
The accounts don’t directly say they’re selling these images, but they do present menus of options, including requesting specific sexual acts in some cases.
The Stanford researchers also noticed offers for videos with scenes of bestiality and self-mutilation. “For a price, children are available for in-person ‘dates,'” the article continued.
The report highlights the role played by the popular social network’s algorithms: a test account created by the business daily was “flooded with content that sexualises children” after clicking on a few such recommendations.
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.
According to the WSJ, the social media giant admitted there were problems with its security services and said it had created a “task force” to deal with the issue.
Publisher : AP
