Latest news with #onlineexploitation
New York Times
27-06-2025
- New York Times
Authorities Rescue Girl Whose Mother Livestreamed Her Sexual Abuse
A 9-year-old Vietnamese girl who was sexually abused by her mother for customers watching on smartphone apps in the United States and elsewhere has been rescued and her mother arrested, according to U.S. authorities. The abuse, which a man in Utah recorded from a livestream feed after paying to watch it on his iPhone, was reported by The New York Times in December as part of an investigation into the role mothers play in the online exploitation of their underage daughters. Officials at that time said a rescue mission was in progress, but they only now announced that it had been successfully completed. The woman, whose name was not released, used multiple apps available in the Apple and Google stores, including the video chat platforms Bigo Live and BuzzCast as well as WhatsApp. The woman also created made-to-order videos for customers, according to Tanya Roman, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Law enforcement officials in Vietnam did not respond to a request for comment. The woman lived in rural Vietnam and told the authorities that she 'needed the money,' Ms. Roman said. The girl is now in state care, and her mother has been charged with raping a person under 16 years old and production of child sexual abuse material, according to Homeland Security. If convicted, she faces a sentence of 20 years to life in prison. The authorities are waiting to obtain access to the woman's phone, which they expect will contain valuable leads on her American buyers. The man from Utah told The Times that he paid $550 for the mother and another woman he contacted online to sexually abuse their daughters. He later reported the sessions to the Canadian Center for Child Protection, which verified the abuse to The Times. 'The No. 1 offending country is the United States,' said an undercover agent with Homeland Security, who was involved in the case and spoke on the condition that he not be named to protect his ability to do his work. 'They're the ones paying for this abuse.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
23-06-2025
- CBS News
Eight men arrested in online predator investigation in northern Ohio
A multi-agency investigation into online child predator activity has resulted in arrests of eight Ohio residents so far, the Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office in Port Clinton, Ohio announced. Federal agencies involved in what became known as Operation Safe Harbor included Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service. The four-day undercover investigation targeted individuals who were believed to be taking part in the online solicitation of minors. "This operation underscores the proactive and collaborative approach law enforcement is taking to address a growing threat in the digital age," the press release said. "Online exploitation of children is a serious and evolving threat," Ottawa County Prosecutor James VanEerten said in the news release. "We are committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who seek to harm children in our communities." Ohio agencies involved in the case were Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children, Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office / Major Crimes Unit, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Tiffin Police Department, Sandusky County Drug Task Force, Port Clinton Police Department, Oak Harbor Police Department, Perrysburg Police Department, Defiance Police Department and Danbury Police Department. The eight men lived in communities across northern Ohio, from Delta to North Royalton and including Toledo. The resulting charges include attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, disseminating matter harmful to juveniles and possession of criminal tools. Numerous other suspects have been identified, and investigators continue to work on the case, the press release said.
CNA
10-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
EU working on stricter online safety guidelines to better protect children
BRUSSELS: The European Union is finalising new guidelines aimed at enhancing the protection of children in digital spaces, amid an alarming rise in online child exploitation cases. The bloc on Tuesday (Jun 10) marked the end of a month-long consultation with technology companies, academics, policymakers and other stakeholders. The EU is set to adopt a comprehensive set of safety measures under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The proposals include age assurance measures, allowing children to block other users, and making minors' accounts private by default. With more than 300 million children falling victim to online sexual extortion each year, EU lawmakers have emphasised child safety as a top priority in the region. But the proposed stricter regulations have sparked concerns that it could worsen tensions with Silicon Valley and United States President Donald Trump's administration. RISING THREATS Cases of online sexual exploitation of minors have roughly tripled since 2018, according to Child Focus – a Belgian foundation that supports the prevention and investigation of missing, abducted and runaway children, as well as those who are sexually abused and exploited. It operates a 24/7 call centre dedicated to the prevention and investigation of sexual or harmful contact online, as well as a tipline to report cases of suspicious activity or material. 'We see, definitely, a huge increase in online interactions of children. We see also younger children being online,' noted the organisation's policy advisor Tijana Popovic. 'But also at the same time, what we see is that offenders are able to misuse online spacers better in order to offend, and these spaces are not always under the monitoring of the authorities.' Popovic also emphasised the need for more comprehensive guidelines in an increasingly digital world. 'We see that a lot of these platforms have actually been built with another public in mind, but we see that more children are using these spaces and that these spaces are not designed with children in mind and with their needs in mind,' she added. Jan Penfrat, senior policy advisor at the European Digital Rights advocacy group, said that while the new guidelines should not infringe on people's rights, online platforms should address issues like screen addiction. 'They need to make sure that all the functionality that their platforms have or the incentives that they create are actually fit for purpose and are not actively harmful to children and that is not the case today,' she added. TENSIONS WITH US TECH FIRMS, GOVERNMENT Meta, the parent company of Facebook, previously clashed with the European Commission over allegations that their algorithms caused behavioural addictions in minors. The company said it has developed numerous tools to support parents and teens, and has worked hard to adapt to EU regulations. The Trump administration has vowed to defend US tech firms like Meta from regulations like the DSA and the Digital Markets Act. However, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told CNA that it is fully committed to the effective enforcement of both Acts, and that companies wishing to do business in the EU must respect the bloc's laws. Experts noted that the EU is the world's largest regulator with the power to take on tech giants. Singapore, Malaysia and the United Kingdom are among nations that have adopted online safety legislation in recent years. The EU will be the largest regulator to implement such measures, which the European Commission says will help online platforms shape a safer environment for children. Leanda Barrington-Leach, executive director of UK-based 5Rights Foundation, pointed out that the EU commands access to an 'enormous market' of 500 million consumers.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Every child will have contact with a stranger online'
Sophie was just 17 when she was contacted online by someone she believed to be a boy of her own age. Having just split from her boyfriend, Sophie - not her real name - admits she was feeling low and lacking self-confidence, so welcomed his attention. "He told me I was pretty and we chatted on and off for about a month or so on various social media platforms," she says. He asked her to send him some pictures, which she did. "I didn't think much of it," she says. He then told her she could make money from the pictures, and asked for more, including sexually explicit shots. "So I began sending him pictures of what he asked for. Before too long, it was videos and I was in way too deep," she says. Sophie realised something was amiss when people began to contact her to say they had seen the videos. The "boy" asked her for more photos and video, this time of her with others, and she never received any money. "I felt like I was in a mess and it was all too much," she says. Sophie is one of hundreds of people who have been helped by Bedford-based charity Link to Change. It offers help, support and guidance to young people aged from seven to 26 in four areas of exploitation: sexual, criminal, online and financial. Operating for 20 years, its clients are referred by organisations including police and schools, as well as parents. "At some point, every child will have contact with a stranger online," warns Hayley Brown, its chief executive. "Find me a young person that doesn't have a phone or a tablet, and if a young person has a phone or tablet, there is a way and means they can be contacted," she says. What is crucial, she adds, are the decisions made after that contact. "It's about being able to have those conversations with young people and make them aware of what's happening." "There needs to be more around what we are doing in society," says Ms Brown. "We can blame the social media companies; however, what we have is a generational gap, around young people, technology that they are using and parents' knowledge and understanding around that." Parents, she says, have a "fine line" to negotiate as young people's critical thinking will not be fully developed. "What they think might be a wise decision might not be a wise decision," she warns. Everyone, she says, needs to be aware of grooming "as it's a natural process" that builds trust. The groomer could be an older male, she says, but "could be their best friend, someone in their class, someone the same age as them". As the mother of a 13-year-old herself, she says: "There's an element of needing to trust my child but also being able to know and monitor what they are doing. "So many young people are scared to report something that's happened to them as they're scared of the trouble they'll get in. It's not the young person's fault. "They're not asked to be groomed. In society, we put the blame on children, but this is abuse; this child has been abused." If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. Demand for the charity's services are up: its referrals have increased by 233% in four years. "We are at a point where our waiting list is so high, we're having a battle with our capacity," Ms Brown says. But she says it is worth it, because the charity has a 98% success rate in helping people exit exploitation. "We will not close a young person's case until all aspects of their life are on track," she says. While it is still unclear who Sophie's groomer was, she says the support she received "helped change my life". "They helped me to understand what had happened to me - it wasn't my fault," she says. "I had one-to-one support for about eight months in total. "They helped not only with the exploitation, but to be able to build my confidence and self-esteem and my mental health struggles." James Simmonds-Read, national programme manager for The Children's Society, says online spaces can be "hugely positive" for young people. They can be places to learn, to connect and have fun, but can also be used by abusers to "exploit and groom". "That's why it is so important for adults to build open, trusting relationships where children can tell them anything without fear of judgement while also staying alert to signs of potential harm, and speaking up if something doesn't feel right," he says. "Children won't always realise they're being groomed - that's why adults need to stay switched on to the signs." These can include: Sudden changes in behaviour, particularly after time online Mentioning or meeting new friends they met on gaming or social apps Talking about offers of making "easy money" Being secretive or withdrawn about online activities He advises anyone with concerns to report them to the police and to contact the platform where any incidents of grooming, exploitation, or abuse are taking place. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. 'I was groomed and exploited at parties aged 14' Child sex abuse survivors demand ring-fenced funding New exploitation hub builds 'team around a child' Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Reduction The Children's Society Link To Change
BBC News
01-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Every child will have contact with a stranger online'
Sophie was just 17 when she was contacted online by someone she believed to be a boy of her own age. Having just split from her boyfriend, Sophie - not her real name - admits she was feeling low and lacking self-confidence, so welcomed his attention."He told me I was pretty and we chatted on and off for about a month or so on various social media platforms," she asked her to send him some pictures, which she did. "I didn't think much of it," she then told her she could make money from the pictures, and asked for more, including sexually explicit shots."So I began sending him pictures of what he asked for. Before too long, it was videos and I was in way too deep," she realised something was amiss when people began to contact her to say they had seen the "boy" asked her for more photos and video, this time of her with others, and she never received any money."I felt like I was in a mess and it was all too much," she says. Sophie is one of hundreds of people who have been helped by Bedford-based charity Link to offers help, support and guidance to young people aged from seven to 26 in four areas of exploitation: sexual, criminal, online and for 20 years, its clients are referred by organisations including police and schools, as well as parents. "At some point, every child will have contact with a stranger online," warns Hayley Brown, its chief executive."Find me a young person that doesn't have a phone or a tablet, and if a young person has a phone or tablet, there is a way and means they can be contacted," she is crucial, she adds, are the decisions made after that contact."It's about being able to have those conversations with young people and make them aware of what's happening." "There needs to be more around what we are doing in society," says Ms Brown."We can blame the social media companies; however, what we have is a generational gap, around young people, technology that they are using and parents' knowledge and understanding around that."Parents, she says, have a "fine line" to negotiate as young people's critical thinking will not be fully developed."What they think might be a wise decision might not be a wise decision," she warns. Everyone, she says, needs to be aware of grooming "as it's a natural process" that builds groomer could be an older male, she says, but "could be their best friend, someone in their class, someone the same age as them". As the mother of a 13-year-old herself, she says: "There's an element of needing to trust my child but also being able to know and monitor what they are doing."So many young people are scared to report something that's happened to them as they're scared of the trouble they'll get in. It's not the young person's fault."They're not asked to be groomed. In society, we put the blame on children, but this is abuse; this child has been abused." If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. Demand for the charity's services are up: its referrals have increased by 233% in four years."We are at a point where our waiting list is so high, we're having a battle with our capacity," Ms Brown she says it is worth it, because the charity has a 98% success rate in helping people exit exploitation. "We will not close a young person's case until all aspects of their life are on track," she says. While it is still unclear who Sophie's groomer was, she says the support she received "helped change my life". "They helped me to understand what had happened to me - it wasn't my fault," she says."I had one-to-one support for about eight months in total. "They helped not only with the exploitation, but to be able to build my confidence and self-esteem and my mental health struggles." James Simmonds-Read, national programme manager for The Children's Society, says online spaces can be "hugely positive" for young can be places to learn, to connect and have fun, but can also be used by abusers to "exploit and groom"."That's why it is so important for adults to build open, trusting relationships where children can tell them anything without fear of judgement while also staying alert to signs of potential harm, and speaking up if something doesn't feel right," he says."Children won't always realise they're being groomed - that's why adults need to stay switched on to the signs."These can include:Sudden changes in behaviour, particularly after time onlineMentioning or meeting new friends they met on gaming or social appsTalking about offers of making "easy money"Being secretive or withdrawn about online activitiesHe advises anyone with concerns to report them to the police and to contact the platform where any incidents of grooming, exploitation, or abuse are taking place. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
