Meta internal documents reveal 100.000 daily instances of sexual harassment of children online

Meta faces serious allegations as internal company documents reveal that approximately 100,000 children on Facebook and Instagram encounter online sexual harassment daily, including explicit images. The unsealed legal filing, part of a lawsuit by the New Mexico attorney general’s office, details company documents and incidents involving Meta employees’ concerns, and accusations of Meta enabling child predators on its platforms.

One incident describes the solicitation of a 12-year-old executive’s daughter via Instagram. Following, employees have expressed concerns that Apple might potentially remove Meta platforms from the App Store.

The lawsuit accuses Meta of turning its social networks into marketplaces for child predators, a claim the company vehemently denies, attributing it to selective quoting.

The lawsuit also references a 2021 internal presentation highlighting Meta’s underinvestment in addressing sexualisation on Instagram. Employee chats reveal concerns about child grooming, with minimal actions reported. The lawsuit also exposes Meta’s failure to report child trafficking on its platforms, specifically citing Messenger’s use by traffickers.

Why does it matter?

In December, Meta faced criticism for implementing end-to-end encryption, praised for privacy but criticised for hindering child safety efforts. The lawsuit mentions executives opposition to scanning Messenger for harmful content due to competitive concerns. The legal battle underscores the complex challenges of balancing privacy, platform safety, and protecting minors online.