Elissa began receiving threatening messages early last year from a person calling themselves “Instamodelfan” targeting her daughter’s Instagram account. Despite having over 100,000 followers, the account has been under scrutiny for potentially exploiting children in exchange for money. However, the issue runs deeper than that. Research from The New York Times found that the platform exposes young girls to adult men, many of whom openly admit to being sexually attracted to children. Thousands of mom-run Instagram accounts subject young girls to disturbing interactions with adult followers, while Instagram rewards them with greater visibility and subsequently more followers. This opens the door to potential abuse, such as being harassed, bullied, and even blackmailed for racy images. This discovery raises concerns over the safety of young girls in this unregulated digital environment. It is evident that social media, particularly Instagram, presents a profound risk of harm to children, as it encourages the commodification of their images. Some parents are torn between the financial benefits and potential consequences of allowing their children to pursue digital fame. Meanwhile, Instagram and other social media platforms have failed to effectively address this issue, leaving young girls vulnerable to exploitation. Despite the threatening messages she received, Elissa has chosen to keep her daughter’s Instagram account running, viewing it as a stand against those trying to intimidate them. The lack of proper protection for children on these platforms highlights a critical need for societal accountability in regulating child influencers and the dangers they face online.
