According to a new Stanford University and Wall Street Journal research, Instagram is the primary social media tool used by pedophile networks to promote and sell images depicting child sexual abuse.
According to the Journal, a simple search for sexually explicit keywords referring exclusively to children leads to accounts that utilize these terms to promote video depicting sexual abuse of minors.
According to the publication, the profiles frequently “claim to be driven by the children themselves and use overtly sexual pseudonyms.”
While the accounts do not explicitly state that they sell these photographs, they do include menus with alternatives, including specific sex acts in some cases.
“Large networks of accounts that appear to be operated by minors are openly advertising self-generated child sexual abuse material for sale,” researchers from the US university’s Cyber Policy Center reported.
“Instagram is currently the most important platform for these networks, with features like recommendation algorithms and direct messaging that help connect buyers and sellers.”
Stanford researchers also discovered advertisements for videos depicting bestiality and self-harm.
“Children are available for in-person’meetings’ at a certain price,” the article added.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Instagram admitted difficulties with its security services and announced the formation of a task team to address the concerns expressed.
Pension and investment funds filed a complaint against Meta in March 2022, alleging that the company “turned a blind eye” to photos of human trafficking and child sex abuse on its platforms.
