The Sunday Show
Inocencia en Juego: An Investigation into Groups Targeting Children on Facebook
Mar 2, 2025
Lara Putnam, a professor specializing in social media's impact on child exploitation, joins Pablo Medina Uribe, a seasoned journalist focused on disinformation, to delve into a shocking investigation. They discuss how predatory groups on Facebook target children for exploitation in Colombia, Venezuela, and Argentina. The importance of collaborative journalism in exposing these threats is highlighted, as is the urgent need for better child protection laws and accountability from tech companies. Their findings underscore a troubling digital landscape where children are at significant risk.
31:27
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Quick takeaways
- Adult users exploit public Facebook groups to target children for sexual exploitation through deceptive tactics and disguised explicit content.
- The lack of specific legal frameworks in Latin America exacerbates online grooming issues, leaving child victims vulnerable and without adequate protection.
Deep dives
Targeting Children in Spanish-Language Facebook Groups
Adult users on Facebook exploit Spanish-language groups associated with celebrities and influencers to engage in predatory behaviors towards children, including those under the age of 13. These public groups often contain explicit content disguised as innocent posts, where adults lure children by pretending to be fellow young users or famous figures. Investigations have revealed that many of these groups not only violate platform policies but also evade detection by continuously evolving tactics. Laura Putnam's research illustrated this alarming trend, uncovering numerous instances where predators utilize social media to groom and manipulate children into sharing personal information and photos.
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