Anyone, whether private or not, can post comments and search hashtags, and anyone can be seen through the like count and sent a message via DM. None of the four feature issues we discuss below are impacted in any way by the privacy of an account. Many parents who read this might think, “my child has a private account, so they’re fine.” That’s a common, but incorrect conclusion. In other words – no amount of moderation or guidelines can change Instagram’s features. But we would argue that the very way in which Instagram is designed creates grooming pathways. If Instagram leadership reads this post, they’ll try really hard to point to their community guidelines and their reporting channels, saying that they don’t allow predatory activity. Four Grooming Paths on Instagram – Comments, Hashtags, Likes, and DMs Some of the screenshots you will see in this post are not safe for work (NSFW) and include some of the most disturbing content we’ve ever encountered during over four years of researching social media. Since Apple’s App Store Description doesn’t say anything about predatory activity, it’s our job to tell the truth. We simply want this post to flash a light in dark places. Remember, wherever the kids are is where the predators are. If your son or daughter receives a private, DM (direct message) from a stranger, does he/she know how to respond? It’s easier to do than you think. Even CNN recently reported that Instagram is the #1 app for child grooming. Instead, we hope this post will help you better understand that the way the app is designed creates risks.īecause remember, not all kids using Instagram end up being groomed and abused.īut, if grooming and child exploitation are easy on the app, my guess if you would want to know. In fact, that is often counterproductive. Great! I’m not saying you need to rip it away. And, with over a billion monthly users, it’s impossible for Instagram to keep pace with nefarious activity. Teens discovered this and proceeded to spam the offending hashtags with hundreds of memes, making it difficult for pedophiles to find each other and trade illegal content.Īnd, although it was an admirable diversion, unfortunately these criminals are resourceful. The way it worked is that pedophiles were using certain hashtags on images that advertised how to get in touch. (Updated March 2, 2021) The Atlantic first reported that teenagers stumbled upon a network of Instagram accounts that were sharing Dropbox links of child porn ( Atlantic article).
Pedophiles trade Child Porn through Dropbox Links on Instagram
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