Instagram a “predator’s paradise”:
Collective Shout joins anti sexploitation groups in global campaign
Earlier this year, YouTube came under public scrutiny for its facilitation of pedophile comments and networking in the comment sections of young children—but what we’re seeing on Instagram now is even worse.
We’re finding rampant sex trafficking, child sexual abuse grooming, as well as adult fetishisation of young girls on Instagram.
Collective Shout campaigner Lyn Kennedy said that since July, the movement had collected hundreds of samples of sexual, predatory comments on underage girls’ Instagram posts.
"What we’ve found shows that sexualisation and harassment of underage girls on Instagram is rampant. By giving adults unfettered access to children and facilitating the transmission of sexual comments—including requests for sexual images—from men to girls, Instagram is complicit in putting underage girls at risk and normalising them as available for sexual gratification," Kennedy said.
"If technology and social media companies are going to allow minors on their platform in any capacity, then they must provide adequate measures to keep children safe from sexual predators”.
That is why Collective Shout has launched an international joint campaign with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (United States) and Defend Dignity (Canada) to call on Instagram to improve its policies!
By failing to protect the children using this social media site, Instagram is complicit in sexual exploitation caused by sex traffickers, predators, and pedophiles on its platform.
Join our international campaign to call on Instagram to make three vital policy improvements:
1) Instagram must change its settings so that strangers cannot direct message minors,
2) Instagram must fix its algorithm to proactively remove sexualising or sexually graphic comments on minor’s photos,
3) Instagram must update its reporting system so that if someone is reporting a sexual comment on a minor’s post it can be reported as such. The “harassment/bullying” selection does not capture the fact that these comments come from adults who are grooming/sexualising/harassing a child.
You can take action in three major ways:
First, you can email Instagram executives here. Fill out the short form and you can send an email directly to Instagram, demanding that they do better to protect minors!
Second, you can learn more and see censored screenshots and videos of proof here.
Third, you can post on social media using #WakeUpInstagram and #InstaPimpsGirls. Remember to tag @Instagram and their head @Mosseri in your post as well, so you can get their attention! Here are some sample tweets you could consider posting:
It's time to #WakeUpInstagram! We need to tell Instagram to fix safety features to stop sex trafficking, child abuse, and pedophile-like comments on minors' photos! #InstaPimpsGirls @Instagram @Mosseri
Minors whose Instagram accounts are set to private can still receive unsolicited direct messages from strangers, which has led to several instances of sex trafficking and child sexual abuse – this must be fixed! #WakeUpInstagram #InstaPimpsGirls @Mosseri
There are countless comments by predatory adults on the photos of minors on Instagram, where they leave sexually graphic comments, sexualize children, or solicit sex from children. Will Instagram fix this? #WakeUpInstagram #InstaPimpsGirls @Mosseri
Thank you for taking action and helping defend children from sexual exploitation online!
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