A New York Times investigation found that dozens of potential pedophiles have prolifically exploited the child influencer industry, portraying themselves as photographers or social media experts to get close to the children.
One such man, Michael Allen Walker, reportedly promised mothers that their daughters would gain large Instagram followings under his guidance. He ran his business from a state prison, where he is serving a 20-year sentence for the sexual exploitation of children. Walker had also bragged on Telegram, where many of these men communicate, that he had seen sexual photos of child influencers, according to the report.
According to the investigation, the men gain the trust of mothers by walking a fine line, proposing photos of their children that don’t have explicit nudity. Other times, men reportedly offered money for used children’s clothes or for photos not on the child’s account.
Ryan Daniels, a spokesperson for Meta, told The New York Times that there are protections on teen accounts to limit interactions with strangers. For underage accounts run by a parent, the parent has control over the privacy settings, content, and how the account interacts with other accounts.
