Popular preteen girl's Instagram followers are 92% grown men — who fetishize her pics on the dark web

Instagram, owned by Meta, has implemented several measures to prevent underage users from being exposed to harmful content. The platform has stated that it monitors content and bans anyone under the age of 13 from opening accounts on their own. Additionally, Instagram has over 30 tools to support teens and their parents, including age verification methods and measures to remove underage accounts when identified.

However, it is important to note that the platform's algorithms, which are designed to steer users toward content they are likely to engage with, may inadvertently expose underage users to inappropriate or harmful content6. Instagram has acknowledged that verifying the age of users online is a complex industry challenge.

In response to concerns about underage users and harmful content, Meta has supported federal legislation that requires app stores to get parents' approval whenever their teens under 16 download apps. The company has also tested new ways to verify users' ages, such as using technology to estimate a user's age based on a video selfie or allowing users to upload a driver's license.

Instagram's algorithm plays a significant role in the problematic following of the girl's account. The algorithm is designed to prioritize content that it believes will be most relevant and interesting to each user, based on their past behavior and interactions on the platform. In this case, the algorithm has steered men with deviant sexual attraction to children towards the girl's page, as it recognizes that these users have interacted with similar content in the past.

The algorithm's focus on engagement has also contributed to the issue. Since Instagram's algorithm favors content with high engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares, it inadvertently encourages the girl and her mother to continue posting content that attracts the attention of these men. As a result, the girl's account has become a breeding ground for unwanted comments and advances from grown men, despite the fact that her content is intended for a young audience.

Furthermore, the algorithm's ability to adapt and learn from user behavior means that the more these men interact with the girl's content, the more the algorithm will show them similar content in the future. This creates a vicious cycle, where the girl's account continues to attract followers with deviant interests, and the algorithm continues to prioritize her content for these users.

In summary, Instagram's algorithm has contributed to the problematic following of the girl's account by directing users with deviant interests towards her content, prioritizing engagement which encourages the continuation of such content, and perpetuating a cycle of exposure to inappropriate followers.