Research exposes pedophilia in the child pornography industry

New York Times investigation Dozens of would-be pedophiles have found themselves productively exploiting the child influencer industry by posing as photographers or social media experts to approach children.

One such man, Michael Allen Walker, is said to have promised mothers that their daughters would gain huge Instagram followers under his leadership. He ran his business from a state prison serving 20 years for child sexual abuse. Walker also reportedly bragged on Telegram, where many of these men communicate, that he had seen sexual photos of child molesters.

According to the investigation, men walk a fine line by offering nude photos of their children to gain mothers’ trust. Other times, men reportedly offered money for used children’s clothes or photos that were not on the child’s account.

Meta spokesman Ryan Daniels told the New York Times that teen accounts have protections to limit interactions with strangers. For parent-managed minor accounts, the parent controls privacy settings, content, and how the account interacts with other accounts.