Technology

In many Facebook groups, dynamics used by teenagers to meet friends or find boyfriends or girlfriends are exploited by some users who try to contact minors with sexual intentions.

Imagine you are a pre-teen somewhere in Latin America. You pick up your phone and open Facebook. The app suggests you check a group dedicated to one of your favorite bands, because you have already liked the official page of that band. Once in the group, you expect to meet people who share your love for this music. First, you find posts asking who your favorite band member is, or what song you like the best. But soon you start to see posts from people who say they want to talk to you. “If you see your age, comment,” reads a post, along with a list of ages ranging from seven to 21.

You see your age, so you decide to comment. Many people reply telling you they want to add you and chat privately. You add some of them and write to them. Then, in the group, the posts turn more explicit. They no longer ask you to comment if you see your age, but if you see the shape of your breasts or your bottom in a series of images. Other messages promise to “show it to you,” with explicit references to penises, like eggplant emojis, or drawings where a shadow of one or a woman about to give oral sex can be seen. You have already interacted in these groups, you have added friends and chatted with some of them, so you decide to comment on these posts as well. You add some of the people who reply to you and, privately, they can ask you, or even convince you, to send them explicit images of your body.