Reporting underscores need for a national data privacy standard

A new investigative report is out by the Wall Street Journal and the evidence is clear: Instagram connects and promotes accounts that are openly dedicated to the purchasing and selling of child sexual abuse materials. Instagram is allowing this content to spread in violation of both federal law and Meta’s own platform rules.

The Journal’s reporting underscores the need to pass a national data privacy standard. It’s the best way to protect Americans online, especially kids, and hold Big Tech companies accountable for its dangerous algorithms.

Top takeaways from the report:

1. Instagram’s algorithms actively promote illicit content.

As reported by the WSJ: “Pedophiles have long used the internet, but unlike the forums and file-transfer services that cater to people who have interest in illicit content, Instagram doesn’t merely host these activities… Instagram connects pedophiles and guides them to content sellers via recommendation systems.”

“Even glancing contact with an account in Instagram’s pedophile community can trigger the platform to begin recommending that users join it.”

2. Instagram allows explicit hashtags which connect users to accounts that advertise child-sex material for sale.

“The researchers found that Instagram enabled people to search explicit hashtags such as #pedowhore and #preteensex and connected them to accounts that used the terms to advertise child-sex material for sale.”

3. Instagram has allowed users to search for terms that its own algorithms know may be harmful or illegal content.

WSJ: A screenshot taken by the Stanford Internet Observatory shows the warning and clickthrough option when searching for a pedophilia-related hashtag on Instagram.

PHOTO: STANFORD INTERNET OBSERVATORY

“In response to questions from the Journal, Instagram removed the option for users to view search results for terms likely to produce illegal images. The company declined to say why it had offered the option.”

4. Instagram’s parent company, Meta, admitted they are not enforcing their policies and have failed to combat inappropriate content.

“Earlier this year, an anti-pedophile activist…