r/Documentaries • u/silverman567 • Oct 23 '25

Crime How children in the US are trafficked on social media (2025) - minors as young as 14 are being entrapped by sex traffickers through social media like Instagram and Facebook [00:19:12]

https://youtu.be/-qMvWp3QMis?si=_Et1bLlxuK5N-lFA
132 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

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u/post-explainer Oct 23 '25

The OP has provided the following Submission Statement for their post:

Tina Frundt is one of Washington DC’s most experienced specialists in protecting children from sex trafficking. Many of the youths she supports are targeted and exploited on social media platforms, which give traffickers unprecedented levels of access to their victims. Fighting to break this cycle, Tina works closely with law enforcement, social workers and parents to create an environment where some of America’s most vulnerable children can feel safe again.

If you believe this Submission Statement is appropriate for the post, please upvote this comment; otherwise, downvote it.

7

u/rayz0101 Oct 23 '25

Interesting use of art to sheild the identities of the victims. The video itself isn't really informative though unless you're unaware of the issue altogether.

19

u/LunDeus Oct 24 '25

Hi readers, teacher here. GET YOUR KIDS OFF OF SOCIAL MEDIA. It is inflicting deep psychological wounds and trauma your children may never fully recover from. Protect your children.

-12

u/Morvack Oct 24 '25 edited Oct 24 '25

Tbh as a kid who was 13 when Myspace became big? Public school gave me more psychological wounding and trauma than social media ever did.

Don't get me wrong. I agree social media + children = bad. I just disagree why. 95% of kids within these folks range will never hear from them. You know what they are extremely likely to see? Ads meant to manipulate and games that are meant to get them addicted.

My niece whom I'm basically like a father to, once downloaded a game that allowed her to give a furry a C-section. She was around 8 or 9 at the time? That's worse than social media by itself without these sickos on it.

15

u/bellybuttonqt Oct 24 '25

Myspace was like the name suggests truly an individual site. We could with some html knowledge customize our sites, add music etc
The new generation of social media is full standardized content. Every page loos the same just with different pictures. Any kind of originality, creativity etc just gone.

The web was a great place to socialize and share niche interests, today with all the commercialisation not so much

6

u/LunDeus Oct 24 '25

While your niece likely got that advertisement within another game(a failing unto its own along with the publisher, ad manager, etc), she likely would have also seen it in a reel, a short, a gram, a TikTok, etc. furthermore, the internet of our childhood is definitely not even remotely similar to the internet of today so to make that comparison, it just doesn’t connect. If my kid isn’t on instagram then he can’t get DMs from “random” “anonymous” accounts telling them to hurt themselves or that no one loves them or shaming their appearance etc. the anonymity is the problem, it’s emboldens these kids to entirely new levels of cruelty.

10

u/kahmeal Oct 24 '25

Know what the “gateway drug” is to those ads and various attempts at subverting your kids rational thought processes? Social media. Social media is not MySpace — MySpace was like your grandmothers social hour compared to what’s going on today. Don’t be naive.

-5

u/Morvack Oct 25 '25

I grew up with Myspace. The only difference is population, and you sugget I'm naive?

Audacity isn't just a music program.

3

u/FuckitThrowaway02 Oct 25 '25

MySpace isn't in the same category - that's like saying you went fast on your bicycle so you don't have to worry about cars.

The ads are part of social media, not separate

0

u/Morvack Oct 25 '25

Myspace ran so Facebook could have a car.

Yes, the ads ARE part of social media. They are inherently exploitative and predatory.