A New York Times investigation finds that dozens of potential pedophiles frequent the child influencer industry, posing as photographers and social media experts to approach children. did.
One such man, Michael Allen Walker, reportedly promised mothers that under his tutelage, their daughters would gain more followers on Instagram. He runs his business from state prison and is serving a 20-year sentence for child sexual exploitation. Walker also bragged on Telegram, where these men communicated, that he had seen sexual photos of child influencers, according to the report.
According to the investigation, the men walked a fine line to gain the mother's trust, such as offering photos of the child without explicit nudity. In other cases, the man reportedly offered money for second-hand children's clothing and photos that were not in the child's account.
Mehta spokesperson Ryan Daniels told the New York Times that there are safeguards on the teen's account to limit interactions with strangers. For minor accounts run by a parent, the parent can control privacy settings, content, and how the account interacts with other accounts.