This is my 10th blog. The response has been mixed. Many people do not want to talk about #sexual abuse. They want to stop this behavior but not talk about it. I totally understand that. It has always been a problem and I believe it is getting worse. See excerpts below from a recent NBC News report.
"Discord launched in 2015 and quickly emerged as a hub for online gamers, growing through the pandemic to become a destination for communities devoted to topics as varied as crypto trading, YouTube gossip, and K-pop. It’s now used by 150 million people worldwide.
But the #Discord app has a darker side. In hidden communities and chat rooms, adults have used the platform to #groom children before abducting them, #trade child sexual exploitation material (CSAM) and extort minors whom they #trick into sending nude images.
Discord isn’t the only tech platform dealing with the persistent problem of online child exploitation, according to numerous reports over the last year. But experts have suggested that Discord’s young user base, decentralized structure, and multimedia communication tools, along with its recent growth in popularity, have made it a particularly attractive location for people looking to #exploit children.
According to an analysis of reports made to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), reports of CSAM on Discord increased by 474% from 2021 to 2022.
Moderation on Discord is primarily left up to volunteers in each Discord community.
In a review of publicly listed Discord servers created in the last month, NBC News identified 242 that appeared to #market sexually explicit content of minors, using thinly veiled terms like “CP” that refer to child sexual abuse material. At least 15 communities directly appealed to teens themselves by claiming they are #sexual communities for minors. Some of these communities had over 1,500 members.
Discord allows for casual text, audio, and video chat in invite-only communities, called servers (some servers are set to provide open invitations to anyone who wants to join). Discord doesn’t require users’ real identities like other platforms and can facilitate large group video and audio chats. That infrastructure proved incredibly popular, and in the past seven years, Discord has been integrated into nearly every corner of online life.
As the platform has grown, the problems it’s faced with #child exploitation appear to have grown, too. According to both NCMEC and C3P (Canadian Centre for Child Protection), reports of #enticement,#luring, and #grooming, where #adults are communicating directly with children, are increasing across the internet. Shehan said enticement reports made to NCMEC had nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022.
An NCMEC report shared with NBC News found that Discord “has had a huge issue over the past two years with an apparently organized group of offenders who have #sextorted numerous child victims to produce increasingly egregious CSAM, #engage in self-harm, and #torture animals/pets they have access to.”
When is it enough?
What will it take to get our attention?
Will we continue to stand by & let sex predators ruin the lives of our innocent children?
Discord is now valued at $7 billion. In December 2020, Discord hit a milestone of 140 million monthly active users (Discord's active user base has doubled since 2019). Mar 27, 2023
Money talks.
Sex & Money sells.
Even when the lives of innocent children are destroyed.
The CyberTipline is the place to report #child sexual exploitation. If you believe you are a #victim of exploitation, this is the right place. You can make a report online or over the phone. Their hotline (1-800-THE-LOST) is available 24 hours, 7 days a week and staff are there to connect you to the resources you need.
Having a #sexually exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content. https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/
Thank you so much for your support. Please share this - help me create the awareness this topic needs. I'm currently working with several victims of child sexual abuse. Please consider referring me if you hear of someone needing expertise in this field. Meanwhile, I continue to learn all I can about this topic.