Tech giants STILL aiding predators, putting young girls at risk

Why Facebook must abandon plans for 'Instagram for kids'

Collective Shout with James Evans*

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How would you feel if you found out your neighbour had 10,000 images of underage girls wearing bikinis on his hard drive? What if I told you that Instagram hosts collections just like this, serving no other purpose than the sexual entertainment of men?

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Instagram is a haven for child predators and a host to the broadcasting of child sex abuse fantasies. Contrary to corporate claims that there's 'no place' for content that exploits or endangers children, exploitative, graphic and degrading comments directed at underage girls are rampant on the Facebook-owned platform. 

Our campaign partners at National Center on Sexual Exploitation met with Instagram heads last December to discuss the ways Instagram puts children at risk and how child safety on Instagram could be improved. Instagram said that the matter of predatory comments will be investigated.  

Meanwhile, men continue to use Instagram to harass and fetishise little girls. See below for our latest roundup of child sex abuse fantasies and other predatory comments freely broadcast on Instagram. We will continue to expose and call out this predatory behaviour!

Take action today!

Help put pressure on Instagram corporate leaders to stop facilitating behaviours that harm children. Join the Twitter conversation using @collectiveshout #WakeUpInstagram and #InstaPimpsGirls.

See also:

Graphic rape comments fuel #WakeUpInstagram campaign

Insta must act on predators: Collective Shout letter to platform heads

eSafety commissioner backs Collective Shout's call for Instagram overhaul

Melinda Tankard Reist on ABC Radio National discussing the #WakeUpInstagram campaign

‘Sexy girl’: How Instagram allows the offering of young girls as fetishised flesh

Each week we find new evidence that underage girls are at risk from predators on Instagram. We've rounded up some of the worst, recent examples of predatory comments we've come across and shared these below. Some of the comments depict male fantasies for carrying out violent sex abuse acts on little girls.

There should be no room anywhere for these comments, and that's why we are continuing to call on Instagram heads to stop the fetishisation and harassment of little girls that is happening on their platform. Join our campaign and help #WakeUpInstagram to child exploitation. Learn how here.

[CONTENT WARNING]

Join the Twitter conversation by tagging @collectiveshout and using #WakeUpInstagram and #InstaPimpsGirls.

See also:

Insta must act on predators: Collective Shout letter to platform heads

eSafety commissioner backs Collective Shout's call for Instagram overhaul

I was so concerned about porn-themed portrayals of young girls on Instagram I reported to police

Melinda Tankard Reist on ABC Radio National discussing the #WakeUpInstagram campaign

If Instagram can restrict diet products they can stop child sexual exploitation

‘Sexy girl’: How Instagram allows the offering of young girls as fetishised flesh

Tech companies turn a blind eye to child sexual abuse material

Collective Shout quoted in 10 Daily article

10 daily forwarded several photographs of Australian Instagram models aged between nine and 15 to Collective Shout. It's a grassroots campaigns movement against the objectification of women and the sexualisation of girls.

“I searched for a couple of images and found them on porn sites. It’s likely the majority of them are on porn sites and others are in a chat room with inappropriate sexual comments about a primary school aged girl,” campaigns manager Caitlin Roper said.

10 daily has viewed and can confirm that these images were shared on a porn site and other chat rooms.

But who should be held accountable for where these pictures are ending up?

Michael Murchie was the man behind the camera for at least one of the child photos Roper found a porn site. He told 10 daily all clothing in his shoots belong to the models.

When questioned about the age-appropriateness of the photos of teen and pre-teen girls such as the images above, Murchie said:

“I never take revealing photos of minors. I merely take the photos requested of me by the clients, their parents."

But Roper doesn't buy it.

“Is that an excuse? If a parent wants to exploit their kids then its OK from a photographer to make money from it?”

Girls and women's advocate Roper said modelling decision being made by parents could be damaging to their children in years to come.

Do they not understand the implications for their child or do they not care? Is it about fame ahead of their child’s rights and safety?” 

Read the full article at 10 Daily