Instagram is a scary place for young girls — made even worse when their own parents are complicit in putting them in harm’s way. Many teen and tween girls dream of being an influencer. Sadly, some parents seem more than happy to see brand deals and money coming in, even if it means putting their children on the screens of pedophiles.
A new report from the Wall Street Journal tells the story of an anonymous young Instagram influencer who garnered fame and fortune for her dance photos and videos. By sharing her passion for dance, the high schooler has saved up $20,000 — from donations, brand deals and subscriber-only content — which she plans to spend on a first car and college tuition. The only problem: 92% of her followers are men.
Her mother, who admitted she supported her daughter’s influencer ambitions, is not only aware of that statistic, but also has been alerted that photos of her daughter in a bikini are being swapped in creepy Telegram group chats full of anonymous pervs. “We’re all model scouts, agents and brand owners,” one Telegram message read. “We’re totally NOT jerking off to the pics.
” It’s a creepy and exploitative dynamic: a teen girl sharing her love for dance — only her influence is on older creeps, not aspiring young dancers. It’s a dynamic made possible thanks to parental supervision. Meta rightfully doesn’t allow anyone under 13 to open an Instagram account, but it does allow for “adult-run minor accounts” which require .
