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/. 

Collective Shout's Caitlin Roper quoted in 10 Daily

The shame is not with young women’s sexuality but with a culture that teaches them that is their only value

Yesterday I took two of my children into town for ice cream. This is what they were exposed to on a busy Perth street.

‘Porn is presenting rough sex and anal sex as something normal, and teenage boys are learning from their screens that it often involves violence and humiliation’ – Nikki Gemmell

How encouraging to read the concerns a number of us have been attempting to raise for close on a decade now, in our national broadsheet The Australian.

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

"Pornography is now the main sex educator for young people"

Honey Birdette is a serial sexploitation offender. The sex shop, located in shopping centres around the country, has attracted hundreds of complaints for its sexist advertising. 

A Queensland man found with 14 hours of video and over 500 images of child exploitation material has received an 18 month suspended sentence. Christopher Edward Hunt had become desensitised to violent porn and had been collecting images and videos of children being tortured and engaging in sex acts with animals. 

The 31 year old lived with his parents and after police raided his house he admitted to possessing child exploitation material and sexually abusing the family's Staffordshire terrier.