Meta faces harsh backlash for allowing parents to exploit their underage children with pedophiles, report says

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has come under scrutiny for its new paid subscription service, which reportedly allowed parents to exploit their children by selling explicit photos to pedophiles on the platforms. According to reports, the subscription feature was being used by so-called « parent-managed minor accounts » to sell exclusive content, including photos of young girls in bikinis and leotards, to mostly men.

Staffers at Meta flagged hundreds of these accounts, but the company’s response was disappointing. Instead of taking decisive action, Meta chose to rely on an automated system that allowed pedophiles to evade detection. The situation was made even worse by the algorithm-run recommendation systems, which reportedly promoted child-modeling accounts to adults who posted pedophilic comments.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has faced criticism for the impact of his platforms on children. The company has been accused in multiple lawsuits of contributing to children’s addiction to social media. Despite personally apologizing to parents who confronted him about their children being exploited through his platforms, Zuckerberg is seeking to avoid personal liability in these lawsuits.

Last year, Meta introduced a paid-subscription service to entice influencers to produce more content on their platforms. Subscribers were offered perks such as « in-person events » and « early access or releases. » However, the Journal found instances where banned accounts engaged in child exploitation resurfaced and gained hundreds of thousands of followers.

Meta staff flag hundreds of accounts exploiting children for profit

The company’s policy allowed for children to have their names on an account as long as it was co-managed by an adult, leading to the creation of child-model accounts that attracted the interest of inappropriate individuals. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone defended the company’s efforts, stating that they had implemented safety measures to bar pedophiles from viewing child-model accounts.

In contrast, rival social media platforms TikTok, Patreon, and OnlyFans have taken a stricter stance by banning subscriptions that feature child models. The disturbing reports about Meta’s subscription service highlight the need for stronger safeguards to protect children from exploitation on social media platforms. It is essential for companies like Meta to prioritize the safety and well-being of young users and take proactive measures to prevent such exploitation from occurring in the future.



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