Tech & IT

Meta: Investigating Network of Pedophiles on Instagram, Linked by Algorithms

Stanford University report uncovers networks of minors promoting self-generated child sexual abuse images. Meta has started a task force to investigate how its photo-sharing app Instagram facilitates the spread and sale of child sexual abuse material.

The new effort by the Facebook parent company follows a report from the Stanford Internet Observatory which found that large networks of accounts that appeared to be operated by minors openly advertising self-generated child sexual abuse material for sale.

Buyers and sellers of self-generated child sexual abuse material connected through Instagram’s direct messaging feature and Instagram’s recommendation algorithms made the advertisements of the illicit material more effective, the researchers found.

“Due to the widespread use of hashtags, relatively long life of seller accounts and, especially, the effective recommendation algorithm, Instagram serves as the key discovery mechanism for this specific community of buyers and sellers,” the researchers wrote.

The findings offer more insight into how internet companies have struggled for years to find and prevent sexually explicit images that violate its rules from spreading on its social network. Experts have highlighted how intimate image abuse or so-called revenge porn rose sharply during the pandemic, prompting tech companies, porn sites, and civil society to bolster their moderation tools.

The Stanford researchers said the overall size of the seller network ranges between 500 and 1000 accounts at a given time. They said they started their investigation following a tip from the Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the findings.

Meta said it has strict policies and technology to prevent predators from finding and interacting with teens. In addition to the task force, the company said it had dismantled 27 abusive networks between 2020 and 2022, and in January, disabled more than 490,000 accounts for violating its child safety policies.

“Child exploitation is a horrific crime,” Meta spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement. “We work aggressively to fight it on and off our platforms and to support law enforcement in its efforts to arrest and prosecute the criminals behind it.”

While Instagram is a central player in facilitating the spread and sale of child-sexualized imagery, other tech platforms also played a role, the report found. For instance, the report found that accounts promoting self-generated child sexual abuse material were also heavily prevalent on Twitter, although the platform appears to be taking them down more aggressively.

Some of the Instagram accounts also advertised links to groups on Telegram and Discord, some of which appeared to be managed by individual sellers, the report found.

Tech & IT

Metaverse Sex: Revolutionizing Intimacy in a Decade

VR to Transform Adult Entertainment with Metaverse Sex in 10 Years

Highlights:

VR sex replaces porn apps in a decade
Multi-sensory VR includes touch, smell
Ethical concerns in virtual consent
Metaverse allows global virtual encounters
Shift could aid lonely individuals

According to Sam Hall, managing director of Mixed Reality Rooms, the world of adult entertainment is poised for a transformative shift in the next decade. Hall envisions a future where traditional porn apps and websites are replaced by immersive experiences in the metaverse, enabled by advancements in virtual reality (VR) technology.

This evolution, he predicts, will be driven by the increasing accessibility of VR headsets, paving the way for a new normal in adult entertainment. The introduction of multi-sensory VR, including technologies that simulate touch, smell, and taste, is expected to create experiences that closely mimic real-life interactions. Hall foresees a significant role for connected sex toys, utilizing haptic technology to enhance the virtual experience.

However, this technological leap is not without its challenges. Hall raises critical ethical concerns, particularly around consent in the virtual realm. The use of personal images and virtual avatars without consent poses a significant risk, echoing apprehensions noted in a 2017 report about VR porn’s impact on sexual expectations and potential for abuse.

Despite these concerns, the potential of the metaverse extends beyond just entertainment. Hall suggests that it could democratize sexual experiences, providing new opportunities for those who may find it challenging to find partners in the real world. This virtual world, limitless in its scope, allows individuals to express their desires in diverse settings, real or fictional, private or public.

The integration of VR technology with sexual wellness hardware is still in its nascent stages, but Hall notes that it’s only a matter of time before these technologies fully converge. He points out that people are already exploring romantic connections in virtual spaces, hinting at the future of relationships and intimacy.

As we stand on the brink of this new era, the questions of how quickly these changes will materialize and how they will reshape our understanding of human intimacy remain open. What is clear, however, is that the metaverse is set to redefine the landscape of adult entertainment, offering unprecedented experiences while challenging our conventional notions of consent and connection.

Latest News

Omegle Shuts Down After Child Safety and Legal Challenges

Omegle, a platform for video chatting with strangers, has shut down following numerous child abuse allegations and lawsuits. Over a decade, it linked children with predators, prompting legal scrutiny. Founder Leif K-Brooks, under pressure, cites the challenge of moderating content as a key reason for the shutdown.

Highlights:

Omegle shuts down following child safety issues.
Platform linked minors with predators for years.
High CSAM reports exceed other social platforms.
Founder Leif K-Brooks announces app closure.
Legal challenges question Section 230’s scope.
Calls for systemic online child protection.

Omegle, once a popular platform for connecting strangers through video chat, has officially shut down. Known for its tagline “Talk To Strangers,” Omegle became a concerning destination for minors, leading to its closure last Thursday. This decision comes after more than a decade of the platform inadvertently facilitating connections between children and predators, which led to multiple lawsuits and criminal investigations.

The platform has been embroiled in several child grooming cases. One notable incident involved a Norwegian teenager who met a predator on Omegle at the age of 14, leading to her abuse. In 2022, an FBI investigation uncovered a user sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) acquired through Omegle. The perpetrator was sentenced to 42 months in prison. That year, Omegle reported over half a million CSAM cases to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a figure higher than those reported by other major platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Discord.

Founder Leif K-Brooks announced the shutdown, highlighting the intensive content moderation efforts Omegle had undertaken. Despite these efforts, Brooks admitted the platform was misused for heinous crimes. The stress and financial burden of managing the site’s content were significant factors in his decision.

A pivotal lawsuit contributing to Omegle’s downfall involved a 13-year-old identified as C.H. She alleged that at the age of 11, she was coerced into sexual acts by predators she met on Omegle. Her case, which bypassed the protections typically afforded to tech companies under Section 230, highlighted the platform’s inability to safeguard young users effectively.

Despite Omegle’s attempts to combat child exploitation, including the use of AI and human moderators, critics argued that these measures were insufficient. The Canadian Center for Child Protection pointed out the inadequacy of Omegle’s age verification process, which merely required users to confirm they were 18 years old. Disturbingly, conversations and videos discovered on dark web forums indicated that predators had used Omegle to target and exploit children.

The closure of Omegle reflects a growing awareness and intolerance of platforms that fail to protect children from online sexual exploitation. While Omegle’s shutdown is a significant step, it highlights the broader issue of child safety on the internet, underscoring the need for more stringent regulations and proactive measures across all online platforms.

Source: Forbes

Tech & IT

Meta Shifts Age Verification Duty to Google and Apple App Stores

In a recent statement, Meta proposed that Google and Apple’s App Stores should take on the responsibility of online age verification for their apps. This move comes amidst increasing pressure for Meta to implement stringent age controls and parental consent mechanisms to safeguard younger users. The company’s head of global safety argued that the varied verification methods across U.S. states make it impractical for social media apps to manage this process uniformly.

Highlights:

Meta rejects app age verification role.
Suggests App Stores handle age checks.
Focus on parental consent, safety.
U.S. state laws vary in verification.

Meta, a leading technology company, recently emphasized its stance on not participating in online age verification for its applications. Instead, it suggested that this responsibility should be managed by the App Stores of Google and Apple. This position was clarified in a post by the company’s head of global safety and security.

This suggestion arises amidst growing discussions about implementing effective age controls and requiring parental consent for young users on Meta platforms. The company’s safety head stated that Meta is not willing to take on this responsibility, citing the inconsistency of verification methods across different U.S. states. Such disparities make it challenging for social media applications to uniformly implement age verification.

Consequently, Meta proposes that parents should be the ones giving permission for their children to use apps through Google Play and the Apple App Store. In this system, when a teenager attempts to install an app, a notification would be sent to their parents for approval. This approach is similar to how parents are alerted about in-app purchases. If a parent approves, the child can install and use the app; otherwise, the installation is blocked.

Furthermore, Meta suggests that age verification could be conducted during the initial setup of a child’s device, allowing parents to set age restrictions once, rather than repeatedly responding to alerts or approval requests.

Meta strongly supports legislation that mandates parental approval for users under 16. The company commits to developing features and settings to facilitate parental assistance in app usage by children.

Currently, there are no widespread regulations specifically mandating online age verification in app stores. However, some states, such as Louisiana, are enacting their own laws. These laws require users to verify their age through government-issued IDs to access certain websites. Utah, for instance, recently passed legislation requiring parental approval for children signing up on various online platforms, including Facebook.

As more states introduce age verification laws, discussions about extending these methods to other online applications are intensifying. Lawmakers are exploring new legislation aimed at expanding internet access regulation and enhancing safety measures for broader audiences, especially younger users.