The New York Times Reveals the Predatory World of Child Influencers

[frejasface]

Seeking online stardom for their daughters, many mothers create Instagram profiles for them. The parent-run accounts can descend into a dark underworld dominated by men who admit on other platforms to being pedophiles, a New York Times investigation found. https://t.co/As0ZRNZRGt
- The New York Times (@nytimes) February 23, 2024
The New York Times

Comments

[laydownhere]

The Christian dancewear company that's like well the Bible says it is actually good to take money from sinners so really, advertising to predators is a good thing

[varioussaints]

what???

[laydownhere]

Dean Stockton, who runs a small clothing company in Florida called Original Hippie, often features girls from the Instagram accounts, who earn a commission when customers use personalized discount codes. After initially deleting many male followers, he now sees them as a way to grow the account and give it a wider audience because the platform rewards large followings.

“The Bible says, ‘The wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous,’” he said. “So sometimes you got to use the things of this world to get you to where you need to be, as long as it’s not harming anybody.”

[varioussaints]

sorry, I didn't realize it was literally in the article! (taking a late night work break and saving the article for tomorrow's morning coffee.) thank you, that is horrific beyond words.

"as long as it's not harming anybody" famous last words.

[laydownhere]

I had to take breaks the article in disgust so I get it.

[glitterslugs]

"as long as it's not hurting anybody"

omg HELLO? the call is coming from inside the house!!

[januarysix]

but it is harming people, does he not get that?

[laydownhere]

people can justify almost anything that makes it so they can profit and still be A Good Person

[allstar12]

"So sometimes you got to use the things of this world to get you to where you need to be, as long as it’s not harming anybody.”

IT IS HARMING THE YOUNG GIRLS. Like damn, the misogyny & exploitation is WILD with this man.