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- What are the different types of online sexual abuse of minors?
- How do social media companies use their platforms to enable sexual abuse of minors?
- Why should corporate social media companies be held liable for sexual abuse of minors?
- What types of claims do you file when minors suffer sexual abuse through social media platforms?
- What compensation can my child receive for institutional negligence?
- Do you have a Los Angeles lawyer who files sexual abuse claims against social media companies near me?
What are the different types of online sexual abuse of minors?
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), its CyberTipline received 20.5 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation in 2024. Online child sexual exploitation involves using technology, such as social media, to sexually manipulate or harm a minor (anyone under 18).
Examples of online sexual exploitation, many of which involve social media, include:
- Grooming. A process in which the offender develops a relationship with a minor online to enable sexual exploitation to occur.
- Catfishing. An offender creates a false identity (such as pretending to be in the same age group as a child) to pressure the minor into sending or viewing indecent pictures and videos, and possibly meeting in person.
- Sextortion. An offender blackmails a minor with an indecent photo/video to obtain money, engage in sex, or obtain more sexual content.
- Live video streaming. An offender coerces or manipulates a child into live-streamed sexual activity or harmful conduct.
How do social media companies use their platforms to enable sexual abuse of minors?
Sexual abusers use social media to enable their sexual exploitation by using methods that the child’s peers would use, such as posting comments, liking posts, and writing short messages. Social media platforms (such as Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Snapchat, Roblox, and multiplayer gaming chats) use share features that “favor rapid connection and private communication.”
Offenders can interact with children on social media by responding to posts, sending direct messages, making friend requests via mutual connections, and participating in in-game chats. Trust between the offender and a child can be built by the offender grooming the child by pretending to have similar hobbies, musical tastes, and other interests.
Social media platforms are frequently the first step in a larger trafficking pipeline. Online recruitment can lead to offline exploitation where victims move into real-world trafficking situations involving third-party businesses.
Social media and artificial intelligence (AI)
AI and deepfakes significantly expand offender reach, speed, and persistence. Digital tools reduce the effort required to target large numbers of children while increasing realism and emotional manipulation. These tools can easily create fake images and fake chats that simulate age-appropriate communication, creating the illusion of a peer relationship. The deepfakes frequently target girls, leading to harassment, reputational damage, social exclusion, and even long-term psychological trauma.
Why should corporate social media companies be held liable for sexual abuse of minors?
In 2023, the New Mexico Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging consumer-protection violations related to child safety on its platforms.
The case, filed by the state Attorney General, claims that Meta:
Promoted illegal content and enabled the sexual exploitation of children on its Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp platforms. The lawsuit claims Meta allowed predators unfettered access to underage users and connected them with victims, often leading to real-world abuse and human trafficking.
The case was part of an undercover operation.
New Mexico also alleges that:
Meta is designing its platforms to maximize engagement despite evidence that they were harming children's mental health. Features like infinite scroll and auto-play videos keep kids on the site, fostering addictive behavior that can lead to depression, anxiety, and self-harm, the lawsuit claims.
New Mexico further claims that Meta failed to implement certain safety measures, such as stronger age-related safeguards, and misrepresented the safety of its platforms.
Numerous lawsuits have been filed alleging that social media platforms intentionally designed their products to be addictive to young people, contributing to a nationwide mental health crisis. In some cases where harm occurred, social media companies have settled with victims.
Social media companies continue to defend against these actions claiming that they are immune because of Section 230, a federal law that provides tech companies immunity for harm caused over their platforms.
What types of claims do you file when minors suffer sexual abuse through social media platforms?
At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, we are pursuing actions against social media companies and platforms for failing to protect children from online sexual exploitation.
Sexual abuse claims against social media companies typically involve negligence-based or statutory theories. Negligence claims are based on social media platforms failure to take reasonable steps to protect your child, such as reasonable child-safety measures, subject to applicable state and federal law.
What compensation can my child receive for institutional negligence?
We may seek compensation on behalf of your child for both past and future damages, including:
- Medical expenses, which include psychological care and physical care for depression, anxiety, PTSD, acts of self-harm, loss of self-esteem, the inability to trust, relationship difficulties, suicide attempts, and other types of emotional trauma and physical harm.
- Physical pain, such as acts of self-harm.
- Emotional suffering due to the failure of the social media company/platform to protect your child.
- The inability to enjoy life’s pleasures and form healthy relationships.
- Punitive damages are available under applicable state or federal statutes and common law, where legally permitted.
In some cases, claims may be brought on behalf of adult survivors who were trafficked through force, fraud, or coercion.
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