“There are many parents who know exactly what's going on and they willfully turn a blind eye."
Last week, our very own campaigner Lyn Swanson Kennedy was featured on an episode of ABC’s Four Corners, Kidfluencers.
(Four Corners: Keana Naughton)
Over the last eight years, we have exposed the sexual exploitation of girls under the guise of child modelling on Instagram, often via parent-run accounts. Many of these images and videos depict young girls in swimwear, dance wear and cheer wear, and they may be sexualised in nature. We have also highlighted how predatory men prey on girls, saving and trading sexualised images of girls originally posted to Instagram, and posting comments describing the ways in which they would like to sexually abuse the girls.
Lyn exposed the role of corporations like Instagram and SHEIN in promoting and profiting from the sexualisation and exploitation of children.
They are willing to prioritise profit over children's safety and wellbeing. We want to see corporations putting safety measures in place and not utilising children to essentially be billboards for their brands.
Often the girls are dressed in sexualized clothing. They are posed very adult-like they are pouting.
Lyn also exposed how Instagram serves up children to predators.
I never have to look for these girls. I don't have to seek this content out.
Essentially, I have a research account which I use and I use it the way that a predator likely uses it. And I follow around 1600 underage girls. They are fed to me in an algorithm driven gallery of more and more young girls, kid influencers, mini models.
The episode documented parent-run Instagram accounts featuring sexualised content of little girls – some even selling exclusive content to subscribers.
“Think about it,” said Lyn. “Who on earth wants to pay for content featuring children?”
While some parents might be naïve as to the risks of sharing public content of their children, Lyn said that many knowingly shared sexualised content of their children online.
I know for a fact that there are many parents who know exactly what's going on and they willfully turn a blind eye justifying the means by the ends whether it's fame or profit.
I am horrified that as a society, as a community, we have failed these girls and I suspect they will in many cases be wondering where are the adults? Where were the adults that were supposed to protect me and why didn't they?
Watch the full episode below.
See also:
Inside the world of 'kidfluencers' where children make thousands from social media — at a cost
Rising concern around 'kidfluencers' – MTR on ABC
Meta failing young girls: Our investigations in the media
We reported 100 pieces of child exploitation content to Instagram - they removed just three
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