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The Dark Side of Popular Apps: What the Dirty Dozen List Reveals

Posted on Oct 1, 2024
The Dark Side of Popular Apps: What the Dirty Dozen List Reveals

Each year, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation publishes its Dirty Dozen list, highlighting 12 popular apps and websites that play a role in online sexual exploitation. These companies either facilitate or enable harmful activities on their platforms, and in some cases, even profit from them.

However, there is hope! The powerful impact and widespread sharing of the Dirty Dozen list over the years have led to real change at major tech companies like Netflix, Google, and TikTok.

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What is the Dirty Dozen List?

The Dirty Dozen List is a yearly campaign that exposes twelve well-known companies or organizations for allowing or even benefiting from sexual abuse and exploitation. Started in 2013, the Dirty Dozen List has motivated thousands of people like YOU to push businesses, government agencies, and other organizations to change harmful policies and practices. Thanks to this campaign, big changes have happened at companies like Google, Netflix, TikTok, Hilton Hotels, Verizon, Walmart, the U.S. Department of Defense, and many others.

The 2024 Dirty Dozen Apps & Products Kids May Be Using

APPLE

APPLE has faced criticism for not doing enough to protect children using its products. While iOS devices are designed with privacy in mind, they fall short when it comes to safety. One major concern is that APPLE refuses to scan for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). But that’s not the only issue. APPLE also doesn't automatically enable safety features for kids, which should be a basic standard, especially considering that iPhones are the most popular choice among teens.

Another significant problem is that teens and tweens can easily find ways to bypass APPLE's Screen Time controls, leaving them with little to no protection when it comes to online safety.

CASH APP

CASH APP is a widely used payment app that makes sending money quick and easy. However, it has also become a leading tool in sextortion and other forms of online sexual exploitation. Sextortion occurs when someone is blackmailed with the threat of having their private photos or videos exposed unless they:

  • Provide money or valuables
  • Share more explicit content
  • Perform sexual acts
  • Or do something else against their will

But why is CASH APP often used for this, rather than apps like VENMO or ZELLE? According to the Dirty Dozen List 2024, the reason lies in CASH APP’s features: its anonymity, fast transfers, and lack of solid age or identity verification. These factors make it attractive to people looking to quickly receive payments for illegal activities.

SPOTIFY

For some time now, concerns have been raised about the presence of inappropriate content on SPOTIFY, and the problem seems to be growing. From playlists featuring explicit sexual sounds and pornographic album covers to podcasts with highly graphic content, there are many risks for children using this popular music streaming app. Even more alarming, there have been reports of predators using playlist titles and descriptions to communicate with kids — a deeply unsettling issue.

DISCORD

DISCORD is a massive communications platform with over 100 million users, allowing people to text, voice, and video chat in groups called servers. While many kids use it to talk with friends while playing video games, there’s a much darker side to the app. Predators use DISCORD to groom children and share child sexual abuse material (CSAM). It’s also become a hub for creating and distributing deepfakes, particularly AI-generated sexual abuse deepfakes. DISCORD is not a safe space for kids, even if they only use private servers. The risk of stumbling upon harmful and inappropriate content is simply too high.

ROBLOX

ROBLOX may be a favorite among kids for its interactive gaming and design features, but unfortunately, it's also attractive to predators. There have been several documented cases of men using the platform to groom and even abduct children. Additionally, ROBLOX is filled with inappropriate content, including "condo" games where users simulate sexual activity and virtual strip clubs. These troubling issues are why ROBLOX has earned a place on the 2024 Dirty Dozen list.

META

META, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and the VR platform METAQuest, has developed platforms that can be quite unsafe for children. Instagram, which is especially popular among young users, has become a hotspot for sextortion, online predators, and exposure to harmful content. Although META has introduced "parental controls," the company does not allow parents to secure these settings with a passcode, making them nearly ineffective in protecting kids.

REDDIT

Often called “the front page of the internet,” REDDIT is a popular message board where users can read, share, and contribute to a wide variety of content. However, many parents may be unaware that REDDIT also hosts a significant amount of pornographic material, with more being uploaded every day. Beyond regular porn, there are also subREDDITs where revenge porn is posted, sex traffickers communicate, and disturbing CSAM images are shared.

TELEGRAM

Making its way onto the 2024 Dirty Dozen list is TELEGRAM, a free messaging app used by hundreds of millions worldwide. TELEGRAM allows users to chat with nearby strangers, join group chats similar to DISCORD servers, and share or store large files like videos or documents. Perhaps the most concerning feature for parents is its disappearing messages, which leave no trace of conversations.

It's no surprise that TELEGRAM has become a hub for various harmful activities. Some even refer to it as "the new dark web," as the app has been linked to CSAM, pornography, sex trafficking, revenge porn, and other dangerous behaviors.

CLOUDFLARE

CLOUDFLARE is a tech company that provides essential internet infrastructure to many websites, including some that are involved in sex trafficking.

GITHUB

Microsoft’s GITHUB is a platform where developers share code and collaborate on projects. However, it’s also a key player in the development of sexually exploitative technologies. GITHUB has been linked to the rise of crimes like image-based sexual abuse (such as revenge porn) and the creation of AI-generated CSAM, which is disturbingly realistic.

LINKEDIN

LINKEDIN, with over a billion users, is primarily a professional networking site, but it also hosts businesses that profit from sexual exploitation. Additionally, the platform has a significant issue with sexual harassment. One survey found that 91% of women reported receiving unwanted romantic or sexual advances on LINKEDIN.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 2024 Dirty Dozen list highlights the concerning ways in which mainstream apps and platforms continue to play a role in facilitating sexual exploitation and abuse. From well-known social media giants to professional networking sites, these platforms are failing to implement sufficient safeguards, leaving users—especially children—vulnerable to harm. While some progress has been made in addressing these issues, much more needs to be done to hold these companies accountable and ensure that their platforms are safe for all users.

The list serves as a crucial reminder that technology, while offering immense benefits, can also be misused in dangerous ways. It underscores the importance of continuous vigilance and advocacy to protect individuals from exploitation in the digital age. Parents, tech companies, and governments must work together to create safer online environments and push for stronger protections against these growing threats.

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