(Addressed to Instagram Global Head of Policy)

December 4, 2019

Widespread predation of underage girls on Instagram 

We have identified and collected hundreds of comments posted by men on the Instagram pages of underage girls between August and the time of writing. These include grooming-style comments, sexually harassing comments, requests for sexualised content (including nudes), requests for direct messages and for images to be sent via DM. Large numbers of comments are porn-themed. Men describe in explicit detail sexual abuse fantasies involving the underage girls whose identities and locations are often exposed, placing them at risk of further sexual exploitation. (We have compiled some of the most graphic comments here.) 

Inadequate tools for keeping children safe

These predatory comments exist in plain view, unmoderated and unremoved. In some cases they have remained for more than a year - including on posts of girls as young as 4-years- old. Our reports to Instagram are often dismissed as not violating its ‘community guidelines’. Recent examples of dimissed comments include: (on a 13-year-old girl’s post) ‘Omg i sooooo wanna (emoji denoting) lick your (emoji denoting) pussy n (emoji dentoing) ass’; (on a child advertising underwear) ‘Ok im going out of line you put it on i take it off’; ( on a 9- year-old girl’s post) ‘please open your legs’ + emojis including kiss-lips; (various comments on underage girls’ posts) eggplant/peach/cucumber/squirt emojis denoting sexual acts. If these comments are not deemed in violation of whatever standards you use to determine whether content you host is in breach or not, perhaps those standards need to be revised? 

There is also a serious shortcoming in Instagram’s reporting system. While comments can be reported as ‘harassment/bullying’ or as ‘violence/threat of violence’, there is no option which properly conveys the serious predatory and grooming nature of these comments. Instagram’s reporting system should include “sexualised/predatory/grooming comment directed at a minor” as its own category. 

Instagram also needs to take action to prohibit adults from using ‘live’ posts to contact minors. We have viewed a 13-year-old girl’s live posts during which she was bombarded with sexual comments including a request for sex, questions about her underwear, a man telling her he wanted her to give him an erection, another saying he would pay to meet her and others pressuring her to remove her shoes and show her feet. 

We note your statement about having “proactive technology” to keep the platform free from content that is harmful to children. Whatever methods Instagram has employed to date are insufficient for dealing with the rampant predation of children that we have documented. (Our response to Facebook’s official statement here.)

Instagram connects predators to children

Instagram is catering to the fantasy and fetishises of child predators. Through its ‘explore’ feature it directly connects predators with more underage girls. This appears to go directly against your own policies prohibiting content which endangers or exploits children . Regardless of the intended purposes of this feature, the reality is that it results in pointing predators directly to the girls they are preying on (virtually or in real life). Instagram should stop its ‘explore’ feature from promoting minors’ pages and connecting predators with children.

Parasite accounts

We have documented several Instagram pages devoted to republishing images of girls and young women in bikinis or in various modeling, gymnastics or dance poses. Posts on these pages frequently tag the child’s account with captions instructing others to follow the child. Some pages mix images of very young girls with porn-themed and pin-up style images of older teens and young women. These accounts serve as magnets for predators pointing them directly to more children. Instagram has responded to our reports of these accounts that they do not go against ‘community standards’. Instagram should properly investigate these parasite pages. Your company should also prohibit the republishing of images of children on pages that also feature pornified images of adults. 

Instagram serves as supplier for pedophile forums

We have documented the names of hundreds of underage models, gymnasts and dancers on pedophile forums. We’ve reviewed a selection of the profile pages and found that every one contains direct links to the child’s Instagram account/s. We’ve also reviewed several forum pages and have evidence that Instagram is the primary source of images shared to the forums where men write explicitly about sex-abuse acts they’d like to carry out on individual girls. We have evidence of an individual commenting on an underage girl’s Instagram post to direct others to the forums. 

Instagram accounts used to promote sale of images/videos of children

Some underage girls’ accounts are used to advertise monetised website subscriptions where men purchase exclusive photos and videos of children. Other accounts promote links to personal web pages where fans can purchase posters, calendars and photo/video packages. Underage girls also use Instagram to promote accounts on other social media platforms where sexualised content is under even less scrutiny, placing minors in further danger of being targeted by predators.  We believe that Instagram must cease acting as an advertising service for individuals selling images/videos of minors.

Conclusion

The evidence we have gathered demonstrates the sexual exploitation of underage girls on Instagram. Your company is allowing predators almost unfettered access to them.  Content hosted on your platform violates their right to grow up free from activity that harms them (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 36). Because of how common predatory behaviour has now become on Instagram, girls learn to think of it as normal which sets them up for even more harm.

We urge Instagram to prioritise this issue and act in a way that places the wellbeing of vulnerable young people above the interests of predators and reflects accepted standards of corporate social responsibility and ethical behaviour.

Recommendations

• Revise ‘Community Standards’ so that all sexualised, predatory and grooming-style comments (text, slang, short-hand, hashtags, emojis and graphics) qualify as violations.
• Add ‘sexualised/predatory/grooming comment directed at a minor’ as a reporting category. 
• Prohibit adults from using ‘live’ posts to contact minors.
• Update Instagram’s system used to detect and remove sexualised, predatory comments.
• Recognising that Instagram serves as a supply source of images of children for web-based pedophile forums, update all relevant policies, guidelines and help documents (including ‘A Parent’s Guide to Instagram’) so that users are properly informed of the risks of sharing images of children to the platform.
• Stop the ‘explore’ feature from promoting minors’ pages and connecting predators with children.
• Investigate parasite pages that are exclusively devoted to republishing photos of minors, deleting pages where children are sexualised, harassed, groomed or where any type of predatory comments/behaviour is displayed.  
• Prohibit the republishing of images of minors on Instagram pages that also feature porn-style images of adults. 

See also:

No Facebook, you're not doing enough to protect children.

Why is Instagram letting men share sexual fantasies about 7 year old girls?

Predators Paradise: girls are sexually exploited on Instagram

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

eSafety commissioner backs Collective Shout's call for Instagram overhaul

A day of the girl on Instagram: posed, exposed and at risk

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

Reported in The Age

A coalition of women’s rights groups in Australia, Canada and the United States has called on the photo-sharing giant Instagram to introduce tough new protections for young girls using the site.

The campaign with the hash-tag Wake Up Instagram says the platform is used to groom and harass adolescent and even pre-teen girls who post photographs.

The coalition has collected hundreds of sexually graphic comments posted by men. Its Australian spokeswoman is Melinda Tankard-Reist from the organisation Collective Shout.

But Instagram says they don't violate "community guidelines"

*content warning - images blurred but may be distressing*

Click here to send a message to Instagram

1. According to Fox News Facebook stated “Any content that endangers or exploits children is unthinkable and has no place on Instagram. We have policies that prohibit this type of content, and we use proactive technology to find and remove content that poses a risk to children. We’re constantly working on more ways to help prevent this behaviour on our platform.”

But we've found countless comments that have been up on underage girls' photos for up to a year. How is this using "proactive technology"? We've also reported hundreds of comments, many of which have taken weeks to get actioned and often the reply from Instagram is that they do not violate community guidelines. 

These comments here are from 27 weeks ago and 14 weeks ago. Also a comment regarding a topless shoot on a child's picture apparently did not violate Instagram's community guidelines:

Here's an example of comments from a man describing his desire to sexually assault a girl which apparently do not violate Instagram's community guidelines. And another example of a comment that had been up for 54 weeks:

This comment describing the sexual assault of and underage girl had been up for 38 weeks when we found it:

Here is a sample of 100+ comments we found on Instagram on pictures of underage girls:

1. Sexy girl

2. Mmm sexy

3. Delicious

4. Snack

5. Hot little tidbit

6. I can make you scream daddy

7. You can sit down on my legs so that I can get hard

8. Eggplant/squirt emojis signifying penis/sex abuse/masturbation/ejaculation

9. Wow I’d love to spread those legs

10. Cute budding breasts

11. Yummy candy my favourite dessert + emojis signifying penis/sex abuse/masturbation/ejaculation

12. Wanna jump on top of you laying like this

13. I wanna slide in that so bad

14. Beautiful ass out from water

15. Love the pics of you in your cut lil panties. I hope you post more like this.

16. Sit on my face like that

17. Hello I am a young model scout and i am looking for a designer model. If you are interested write me pm

18. Cooling off that hot ass? Nice

19. I wish i could see more of you - send me a picture

20. Sexy pussy

21. So hot n sexy body

22. I want to eat your everything if you don’t mind are you ready

23. Wow body and boobs and facking nice 

24. Such kissable full lips

25. Nice pussy

26. What is your snapchat name

27. Yummmm

28. Let me have porn sex for you

29. Guess you like opening your legs

30. Ooh la la + emojis signifying penis/sex abuse/masturbation/ejaculation

31. Cute little tooshy

32. Why did you have to cut off the best part of the pics. Still so sexy tho. Call me

33. You are so dam yummy babe. When u going to pose in Victoria Secret outfits next

34. Emojis signifying 'horny', penis/sex abuse/masturbation/ejaculation

35. Uff so delicious

36. I want lick

37. Ahhhhh + emojis signifying penis/sex abuse/masturbation/ejaculation

38. Stop cover up your body

39. Imagine what am doing..10 inches n am cumming imaginit

40. Hot wet pants

41. I find it amazingly convenient that a specific area is wet

42. Having that beautiful pair of legs on my shoulders and putting my penis in that beautiful ass

43. Sweet camel toe; young camel toe; awesome lips, very edible and pokable

44. I would love to fuck you SO HARD

45. Fucking cutie be mine

46. Super sexy for such a little girl

47. You have the most ridiculously perfect sweet tender ass cheeks in the world.

48. I want you

49. That is so hot. You just made me …

50. Mmm yummy

51. Beautiful. Super cute in bare feet 

52. Yes now stay like that – rape emojis

53. Double penetration

54. Looks like a fun group of girls. Wonder if they would do a private dance

55. Hot AF, bootylicious

56. Sweet and yummy

57. Mmm hot sexy body

58. I like you beautiful

59. Nice legs

60. Can you do a stretching vid without a skirt on in undies that are way too tight

61. Want you caress and kiss you my love

62. I always love your tight panties. Thanks for the great position

63. Extreme cameltoe

64. Yummy body

65. Can I massage you

66. The view from behind must be amazing

67. I’ll put you on the bed n slowly take all your clothes off

68. Would love to get soapy with you

69. Dam you’re sexy goddam you’re hot

70. Camel toe - squirt emoji

71. Yeah I like to put it – rape emoji

72. Can you jump up and down and make them wobble more plz

73. Beautiful. Nice crotch

74. I wanna slide in that and fill it up

75. Let me suck your toes

76. Hot sexy baby

77. You are so sexy

78. I love you sexy lady

79. Sexy sexy sexy sexual lady

80. You delicious, beautiful to eat

81. Cute butt

82. You’re getting way too sexy little girl

83. Topless shoot would be so erotic

84. Yes love that shorts. When it’s come off baby

85. I’ll take you from the front or back baby..both my sweet little hot box

86. (I like) the front while lying on your back preferably with your legs spread open

87. Lovely cameltoe

88. I know she got a fat lil pussy

89. I bet you look amazing in those (underwear) I hope you show us

90. Ok I’m going out of line - you put it (underwear) on I take it off

91. Great pix - I was trying to imagine with less clothes

92. Panty lines so cute

93. I’d love to do that with you (pic of 2 girls in gymnastics pose)

94. Wow mine would go in so smooth

95. Sit on my face

96. Yummy baby

97. Stretch that labia

98. Are you really 10..Please open your legs

99. I busted a good night to this one

100. Looks like she's getting it ball deep, very hot

101. I masturbated to her

102. I'm hungry for it

103. el dedo en la vagina (the finger in the vagina)

104. I'm in need of a sugar baby that I will spoil with shopping allowance and gift. DM if interested USA only

105. I eat you

106. I pay for meeting you

107. You wear bra?

108. Care to be my sugar baby?

109. She's got legs for dayyyys (pic of 6yo girl)

110. You pose so perfect for tongue workout

111. That is such a naughty look in your eyes

112. So hot be perfect for you to take it

113. One sexy little princess

114. I thought cum in your face

115. I wish I was that pumpkin your sitting on

116. I better start tossing some money at you

117. fancy a drink?

118. Your vagina is little

119. Sexy legs small boobs

120. I wanna lick your pussy and ass

121. Love to taste your butt hole an lick your wet pussy

122. OMG anal licking

123. Let me put my dick in ur asshole

124. Her face after getting a massive cock in her fat pussy

We need to send a strong message to Instagram. Add your name to the letter here. 

See also:

Why is Instagram letting men share sexual fantasies about 7 year old girls?

Help Wake Up Instagram to Child Exploitation!

Instagram a “predator’s paradise”: Collective Shout joins anti sexploitation groups in global campaign

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

Why does Instagram allow men to tell underage girls they want to rape them? Global call for action to protect minors from predators.

Collective Shout has joined a global campaign calling on Instagram to take urgent action to protect young girls from the predatory behaviours of large numbers of men congregating on their pages. Campaigner Lyn Swanson Kennedy discovered hundreds of comments from men describing sexual acts they wanted to perform on the girls.

Collective Shout has joined forces with the National Centre on Sexual Exploitation (US) and Demand Dignity (Canada) stating that Instagram has become a predator’s paradise and calling on the global picture-posting platform to implement safety measures to protect underage girls.

Kennedy described her shock at coming across large numbers of predatory comments containing descriptions of sexual abuse fantasies even for girls as young as seven - and grooming-style behaviours on the Facebook-owned platform. A 9-year old girl was described as having a ‘fat little p*ssy’ by one man while another described in detail how he would assault her.

“Instagram is providing a platform for men to share their sexually explicit comments about young girls,” Kennedy said

"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 Instagram is complicit in putting underage girls at risk and normalising them as available for sexual gratification.

“This is a gross act of social irresponsibility and violates socially expected standards of corporate conduct. 

“My colleagues and I are spending a lot of time reporting these comments. Too often Instagram says the sexually explicit comments don’t violate their “community guidelines”. Perhaps it’s time for their board to come up with some new guidelines to protect children?”

We are calling for Instagram to: 

1) Change its settings so that strangers cannot direct message minors.

2) Fix its algorithm to proactively remove sexualising or sexually graphic comments on minor’s photos.

3) 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.

The campaign is being run under the hashtags #WakeUpInstagram and #InstaPimpsGirls. Screenshots and videos of evidence here: https://endsexualexploitation.org/instagram/.

Saturday 23 November 2019

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!

Joint international campaign launched by Collective Shout, National Center on Sexual Exploitation (USA) and Defend Dignity (Canada)

Today three anti-sexual exploitation organisations from three countries— Collective Shout (Australia), the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (United States), and Defend Dignity (Canada)—launched a campaign to call out rampant sex trafficking, child sexual abuse grooming, and the fetishisation of underage girls on Instagram.

“Earlier this year, YouTube came under public scrutiny for facilitating pedophile comments and networking in the comment sections of videos featuring young children—but what we’re seeing on Instagram now is even worse.

"It’s time to #WakeUpInstagram and stop a predator’s paradise from flourishing. Instagram needs to prioritise the safety of minors, not the accessibility of minors to adults, on its platform,” said Haley Halverson, Vice President of Advocacy and Outreach, National Center on Sexual Exploitation.

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”. 

Glendyne Gerrard, Director of Defend Dignity, said that in Canada, social media is one of the most common places for pimps and sex traffickers to lure and recruit victims for sexual exploitation, particularly children. 

"Instagram’s picture-based platform makes it a haven for predators to groom and sexually exploit minors," Gerrard said. 

"Instagram is complicit in these crimes if it does not improve its current policies to better protect children. In partnership with NCOSE and Collective Shout, Defend Dignity calls on Instagram to make it their top corporate priority to protect minors from the risks of being sexually exploited while using their social media platform.” 

The three organisations are calling for 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.

Follow the global campaign on social media using #InstaPimpsGirls and #WakeUpInstagram.

Learn more and view screenshots and videos of evidence here: https://endsexualexploitation.org/instagram/. 

Victims live in fear knowing images of their abuse are circulating the web