
By Gavin Boyle
A police officer shared a sickening story he recently encountered which reveals how online predators exploit kids even when parents do everything right.
“My daughter was/is the victim of an online predator. She’s officially considered an exploited child. Let me just tell you. We thought we had her phone on LOCKDOWN. No internet browser, no social media apps, no Snapchat, TikTok, Discord… NOTHING,” a report the officer shared said. “She had to come to us for us to put in the password if she wanted to download something.”
“She had Roblox and some editing apps and some other silly games. [The predator] got her on an editing app. An editing app she used to make K-Pop and Roblox edits,” the report continued.
This testimony offers a frightening look into just how far predators are willing to go to reach their victims. While the report never shares what editing apps were used, parents should be aware that many of these apps allow users to share their creations and also have comment sections.
The sickening story also highlights just how rampant child exploitation is across the internet. Self-generated child sexual content is on the rise in America as predators contact more and more minors and pressure them into sharing compromising pictures. Whether contacted though social media, video games or some other method – like an editing app – children are becoming more comfortable with this abuse. A study from 2023 found that 26% of boys aged 9-12 believe sharing nudes online to be normal.
The spread of internet pornography is part of the escalation of this kind of abuse. The majority of American kids are unintentionally exposed to porn before they turn 18. Not only does this make them more comfortable sharing this content themselves, but it also causes them to often become addicted to it as their developing brains cannot resist the pleasure. Movieguide®’s founder Dr. Baehr explains:
Related: Why Self-Generated Child Sexual Content is on the Rise in America
Just like a drug addict keeps looking for the initial ‘ideal’ rush, so those who are addicted to the sex and violence in films seek increasing doses of sex and violence to appease their lust.
In some cases, this even causes these exploited children to continue the cycle and become predators in the future, sometimes abusing their peers before they even become an adult.
While some tech companies are working to fight the spread of sexual exploitation, like Apple, which implemented a feature that automatically blurs nudity for users under the age of 12, parents ultimately need to remain vigilant with their children. Movieguide® encourages parents to have frequent conversations with their kids about what they are experiencing online and follow through on any red flags to ensure their kids are not being placed in any danger through their online activity.
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