Smartphone apps downloaded from Apple and Google can allow parents and other abusers to connect with pedophiles who pay to watch — and direct — criminal behavior.

After confirming the authenticity of the Bigo livestreamer with the authorities, The Times searched the Apple and Google app stores for other video chat apps. Reporters identified a sample of more than 80 apps that advertised children before stopping the search. They later contacted Homeland Security Investigations, the government’s main law enforcement group for international exploitation, for comment.

“The number one customer base paying for this abuse is in the United States,” the agent said. “It’s not like they are abused once a day. It’s 50 men getting 50 separate shows. They’ll wake up these kids in the middle of the night to be abused.”

Asked about The Times’s sample of offending apps, Mr. Sainz said a majority had been detected during the company’s standard review process, with an additional 20 taken down after an internal investigation in response to The Times’s findings.

    • Johannes Jacobs@lemmy.jhjacobs.nlEnglish
      0·
      11 days ago

      Because before computers and the internet there was no child abuse? Child abuse is of all ages. And who is more vulnerable to it? The weak and the poor.

      Personally, i believe we’ll see more and more of it, as most of society gets poorer and poorer. People will do anything to survive.

      This is just an easy way to earn money. And its easier to reach a bigger audience. But i don’t think its gotten worse because we have the internet. Thats just bullshit in my opinion.

      But then, i don’t have any kids, so what do i know about abusing your child for money.

      • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        0·
        11 days ago

        Poverty and greed on one side, and fucked up people on both. Someone spending $130,000 over 10 years on this shit is insane from two perspectives…how can you consume this content for one, and secondly, how can you afford all that much money for this?

        It doesn’t seem like the consumers are messed up by poverty. And I have no idea what’s causing them to be messed up, and therefore, I have no idea how we stop the consumers from wanting to consume.

        Because like you said, as long as there’s a market, this is likely to continue due to the greed and poverty aspects on the “seller’s” side…

            • ubergeek@lemmy.todayEnglish
              0·
              10 days ago

              Where can I not consent to capitalism in the world, without having to starve and be homeless?

          • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            0·
            11 days ago

            Most capitalist societies draw the line somewhere before “Gaining capital through the Sexual exploitation of children is ok”

              • otp@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                0·
                10 days ago

                It’d be interesting if cultural standards were upheld unanimously amongst all members of said culture…

                Or, conversely, if a culture could be judged by the actions of a few outlying individuals…

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    0·
    11 days ago

    A Florida man, Christopher John Streeter, has been serving life in prison since 2021 after sending roughly $130,000 over a decade to people in the Philippines to direct the rape of children as young as 12.

    He paid a premium if the video depicted girls losing their virginity or suffering injuries because of the sexual violence. Court records show Mr. Streeter’s victims were particularly vulnerable “due to poverty and illness.”

    Holy shit that’s dark.

  • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    0·
    11 days ago

    WTF. We could probably stop this if they weren’t wasting endless resources on prohibition, genocide, MIC, etc.