AI aids advertisers sexualising children

We spotted this Honey Birdette ad on Instagram.

We were concerned. (Apart from the model's bizarre and unnatural body proportions; the odd elongation and placement of the left arm; and the gargantuan left hand - which many social media users noted and criticised.)

Update: Due to community feedback Goa have pulled the billboard early. 

After highlighting the growing trend of OnlyFans pornographers preying on teen boys at Gold Coast school leavers Schoolies events, we are now calling on Gold Coast City Council elected officials Mayor Tom Tate and Councillor Darren Taylor to urgently remove OnlyFans porn perfomer Kay Manuel's Schoolies porn billboard. Read our email to them below.

Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise has cancelled the booking of OnlyFans porn star Kay Manuel who planned to film porn content using the bodies of ‘barely legal’ Australian schoolboys. Parent company Accor pulled the booking shortly after we brought it to their attention.

We are pleased to learn that Playboy Clothing ANZ has shut down its website. The official distributor of licensed Playboy apparel for Australia and New Zealand previously supplied popular youth retailers including City Beach and Culture Kings with its porn branded merchandise.

15 recommendations to help protect kids, inform parents + carers

We recently discovered that Pinterest was hosting content that exploited and sexualised teen girls. A user had created a board called 'Teen cameltoes' and was uploading content focusing on young girls genital regions. When a Collective Shout supporter reported it, Pinterest reviewed and decided the content could stay. The supporter then sent us screen shots and Pinterests determination.

Last month we launched our campaign against online apparel company, Teepublic, who is selling harmful and degrading clothing, including onesies for infants, with slogans glorifying violence against women and exploitation of children. 

I'm fairly certain there's minimal moderation happening on Aus owned @TeePublic. Slogans encouraging sexual assault of infants? @BraveheartsInc @AusChildhood @Child_Wise @AnneHollonds @mike_salter @TeamCarlyCRF @DanielMorcombe @ActforKids @icmecauofficial @TheCybercop1 @MCG58 pic.twitter.com/ohyTyrRIR5

— Coralie Alison (@CoralieAlison) February 26, 2024

The following day TeePublic responded claiming they had removed the identified items from their platform however we found hundreds more still up. We continued to call them out on social media requesting they do a full investigation and remove all harmful products depicting violence against women and child abuse. 

Five days later, I decided to purchase one of the onesies to test whether TeePublic would in fact produce the products and ship it. Well guess what just arrived in the mail.

TeePublic responds - but we're not buying it!

*Content warning*

Last Friday we launched a new campaign against online apparel company TeePublic for selling harmful and degrading clothing, including onesies for infants, with slogans glorifying violence against women and exploitation of children. We found countless onesies depicting women being choked, bound, handcuffed, on a leash and chained up.

"Choke me - it's the only way I learn." On a baby onesie - and plenty more like it. @TeePublic is using babies as a vehicle for promoting the sexualised abuse of women. @Martin_Hosking any response?@collectiveshout https://t.co/48FqCHWgTB pic.twitter.com/VV0wWJv1Ok

— Caitlin Roper (@caitlin_roper) February 23, 2024

Supporters swiftly took to social media to call out TeePublic for turning a blind eye to the sexualisation of children and profiting off the degradation and abuse of women.

Earlier this week a supporter sent us a screenshot of a sponsored post on Facebook where giant e-commerce platform SHEIN was pushing thigh-high fishnet stockings for infants. "This is a massive red flag for me" she said. 

We discussed it as a team and our Movement Director, Melinda Tankard Reist said "This major online e-commerce platform thinks it’s ok to sexualise even babies by flogging thigh-high black fishnet stockings. Shein has linked babies with an item of clothing commonly associated with the sex trade. We have documented other examples of Shien’s exploitation and adultification of children including padded bras and see-through costumes. The company must be called out for pedo whistling."

So we decided to share the image on Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter) and LinkedIn calling on all our supporters to contact SHEIN and demand they remove the item from their site. 

Clearly this campaign struck a chord with many as we had hundreds of comments on our social media platforms. 

"I have grave concerns about the mind of the person who thought these a good idea - I think they need help of some sort."

"What the actual! That’s disgusting"

"Appalling"

"Yuck!! 🤮 This is all kinds of wrong. Actually makes me feel physically sick."

"Words fail at this sickness"

"SHEIN this is not a good look….."

"Shame on you SHEIN"

"SHEIN this is disgusting. I will be spreading this info to everyone I know so that your company is boycotted."

"I wrote a book about pornification of reality and this is the worst thing I've ever seen."

"This is not the first time. SHEIN have a history of sexualising girls. We must call this out!"

*Update: The ads have been removed thanks to your rapid action. Scroll to bottom for details*

This week a teacher forwarded us a sponsored post by H&M where pre-teen girls were styled and posed in school fashion outfits and the headline ‘Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion.'

After decades of working against the sexualisation of girls we were immediately concerned and took to social media to call them out.

Our Movement Director, Melinda Tankard Reist, first posted on X (formally twitter) and the response was overwhelming. 

"The little girls parents generally prefer heads don’t ‘turn’ when others see their daughters walking to school, on a bus or in class. Why would you want to fuel the idea that little girls should draw attention to their looks, bodies and ‘style’? Perhaps have a word to your marketing team and come up with something that doesn’t draw attention to pre pubescent girls already struggling to thrive in a culture that values ‘lookism’ as an aspirational goal?" Tankard Reist said on Twitter.

People all around the world began to call H&M out for their harmful and irresponsible ad.