"The system isn't broken, it's working exactly as designed." Such an important issue, many people just aren't aware how deep this goes. Online child sexual exploitation is a huge industry where people are making disgusting amounts of profit, I wish more parents cared more about what they post and their child's social media usage.
My eldest is now 18 and I've always had a policy of there being zero info about her on the net. To the extent that now she's of age we still don't feel comfortable detailing our days together. Just in case. I don't know of what. But what's the harm of keeping some privacy?
Recently on a beach I watched a German woman film her kids doing the same schtick about 7 times, went away, clearly watched the footage cos they were back 10 mins later doing the same thing- until one of them started crying. She spoke to him and they performed one more time. I looked for her online to reveal that the beautiful picture of spontaneous family fun was filmed over the course of 45 minutes and via mopped up tears. Couldn't find her. I bet her followers punish themselves that their kids don't co operate in this seemingly one take goof off.
THIS is what we need to be seen written in news outlets more often, but of course, they would never. Even people with great influence who come out to try and uncover pedophiles, often get shun from media. This is an excellent piece and deserves to be seen greatly!!
Excellent reporting and commentary and, regrettably, dead on the money. And so much of it preys on the line between childhood and young adulthood. Social media creates a system that exacerbates the natural tendency for approval seeking so puberty, already a perilous time, becomes a minefield. Now every pedo has a Nickelodeon or a Mickey Mouse club right on their desktop. We are in deep shit
I worked in a youth residential facility for just short of a year. That place proved to me people don't actually care about children. If they did, that system would look so very different.
This was a very well-written piece. I don't have kids, and probably won't, but you don't need kids to understand what is happening. The internet is a cesspool of terrible people who can hide behind a user name. Roblox is a perfect example where anyone can hide behind a keyboard and an avatar. The same goes for any kind of multiplayer game. And I completely agree with you about the "protect the children" people. The world would be a better place if people could stop treating kids as pawns and just let them be kids.
So much of what gets categorized as “culture wars” is actually just people trying to protect their children from harm—and getting drowned out by systems built to prioritize profit, not protection.
I think a lot about how many survivors have been gaslit into silence by the exact industries that claim to serve us. You laid it out plainly without flinching, and without dehumanizing anyone in the process. That’s rare. Subscribed, and sitting with this one for a while.
"The system isn't broken, it's working exactly as designed." Such an important issue, many people just aren't aware how deep this goes. Online child sexual exploitation is a huge industry where people are making disgusting amounts of profit, I wish more parents cared more about what they post and their child's social media usage.
Very good piece.
My eldest is now 18 and I've always had a policy of there being zero info about her on the net. To the extent that now she's of age we still don't feel comfortable detailing our days together. Just in case. I don't know of what. But what's the harm of keeping some privacy?
Recently on a beach I watched a German woman film her kids doing the same schtick about 7 times, went away, clearly watched the footage cos they were back 10 mins later doing the same thing- until one of them started crying. She spoke to him and they performed one more time. I looked for her online to reveal that the beautiful picture of spontaneous family fun was filmed over the course of 45 minutes and via mopped up tears. Couldn't find her. I bet her followers punish themselves that their kids don't co operate in this seemingly one take goof off.
Trash trash
I’ve worked on CSA in RCC from Seattle to Boston and Rome. You wrote a very good piece.
THIS is what we need to be seen written in news outlets more often, but of course, they would never. Even people with great influence who come out to try and uncover pedophiles, often get shun from media. This is an excellent piece and deserves to be seen greatly!!
As a mom, as a human with a pulse, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Excellent reporting and commentary and, regrettably, dead on the money. And so much of it preys on the line between childhood and young adulthood. Social media creates a system that exacerbates the natural tendency for approval seeking so puberty, already a perilous time, becomes a minefield. Now every pedo has a Nickelodeon or a Mickey Mouse club right on their desktop. We are in deep shit
This is brilliant. Thank you.
Hard-hitting, no punches held, and brilliant!
So good, my friend! Thanks for speaking to this dark issue.
We’d probably have age-gated pornographic websites. Why’d you leave that out?
I absolutely love this piece Jessica. Speaking truth to power…right there…every word of it ♥️
Thanks for sharing this with us
I worked in a youth residential facility for just short of a year. That place proved to me people don't actually care about children. If they did, that system would look so very different.
This was a very well-written piece. I don't have kids, and probably won't, but you don't need kids to understand what is happening. The internet is a cesspool of terrible people who can hide behind a user name. Roblox is a perfect example where anyone can hide behind a keyboard and an avatar. The same goes for any kind of multiplayer game. And I completely agree with you about the "protect the children" people. The world would be a better place if people could stop treating kids as pawns and just let them be kids.
This stopped me cold—and I’m grateful for that.
So much of what gets categorized as “culture wars” is actually just people trying to protect their children from harm—and getting drowned out by systems built to prioritize profit, not protection.
I think a lot about how many survivors have been gaslit into silence by the exact industries that claim to serve us. You laid it out plainly without flinching, and without dehumanizing anyone in the process. That’s rare. Subscribed, and sitting with this one for a while.