The allure of social media fame can be tempting for young girls, but beneath the surface of their glamorous online personas lies a darker reality. Many young influencers on Instagram, with thousands of followers, are unwittingly building an audience that includes a large number of adult men with a sexual interest in children.
One mother, a former marketing manager, started an Instagram account for her 12-year-old daughter to share photos and promote her daughter’s dancing talent. The account quickly gained popularity, attracting brands and photographers eager to showcase the girl’s skills. However, the mother soon discovered that the majority of her daughter’s followers were adult men, who left inappropriate comments and sent explicit pictures.
The mother spent hours each day blocking users and deleting comments, torn between her daughter’s aspirations to be an influencer and the safety concerns surrounding her online presence. “It’s not that I liked it, ever. Ever. It just is what it is,” she said. “If you want to be an influencer and work with brands and get paid, you have to work with the algorithm, and it all works with how many people like and engage with your post. You have to accept it.”
The mother and daughter’s experience is not unique. Thousands of young female influencers and their parents have navigated the dark side of Instagram fame in pursuit of financial opportunities. The platform’s algorithm has become a double-edged sword, connecting children with predators and promoting material that sexualizes minors.
Young girls’ photos have become a valuable commodity, traded and discussed among men on encrypted messaging apps. The Wall Street Journal reviewed dozens of conversations in which men fetishized specific body parts and expressed pleasure in knowing that many parents of young influencers understand that hundreds, if not thousands, of pedophiles have found their children online.
The mother’s account was shut down by Meta twice, without explanation. Despite this, the daughter’s desire to continue her influencer journey remained strong. “It was disappointing, you know?” she said. “I didn’t want to quit, but if I didn’t have the backup, I don’t know if I would have kept going.”
