National Center on Sexual Exploitation

“The CESE Summit is a premier event to be informed, educated, and equipped to effectively combat sexual exploitation. You will network and learn from the best in the global movement.” At this year's Summit, we are diving into the intersections between sexual exploitation and tech innovations. 600+ leaders united in one place, to network, collaborate, strategize, educate, and supercharge the next steps in the #endexploitation movement.  The CESE Global Summit is where massive change is fueled and executed! Learn more at EndExploitationSummit.org. Follow our updates for a glimpse into the groundbreaking strategies and technologies discussed at the CESE Summit. Learn how we’re tackling the toughest issues in the movement. #CESESummit #StrategicInnovation #Collaboration PHASE Alliance

🚨 Hindenburg Report Exposes Roblox’s Pedophile Hellscape – NCOSE’s Fight for Child Safety Continues 🚨 The recent Hindenburg Research report has laid bare the shocking reality of Roblox: a platform exposing millions of children to grooming, child pornography, and violent content. At the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), we've been ringing the alarm bells for over a year, having placed Roblox on our Dirty Dozen List in 2023. The report confirms what our own research found—Roblox is failing to protect its young users, some as young as five years old, from exploitation. Hindenburg's findings include: -Groups openly trading child pornography and soliciting sexual acts from minors. -Over 12,000 erotic roleplay accounts on Roblox. -No age verification, allowing children access to adult content. NCOSE research revealed similar disturbing trends, including predators befriending and grooming children and games with sexual content being easily accessible to kids. We commend Hindenburg Research for shining a light on these grave issues. The time for action is now. We urgently call for Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act and for Roblox to enforce real safety standards by default—not leaving it up to children and parents to fend for themselves in this dangerous digital space. Let’s keep the conversation going 👇 : How can we hold platforms like Roblox accountable for child safety? What role should legislation play? #ChildSafety #EndExploitation #NCOSE #HindenburgReport #Roblox #ProtectKids #KOSA #OnlineSafety #EmergingTech

🚨 Ready to Join the Movement to End Exploitation?🚨 We just dropped a new episode of *The Movement*—and if you're not watching, you're missing out on the *biggest conversations shaping the future of child protection and tech accountability.* 🔍 What’s inside? - Real-life dangers of AI: People are actually prompting AI to create disturbing images of children. - Big Tech's silence: Companies profit from abuse while hiding behind laws like CDA 230, protecting themselves—not kids. - Emerging solutions: We’re leveraging AI and data to *fight back*—from sextortion prevention to combatting deepfake child abuse. This episode features insights from a few of the global leaders who met at the recent Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Summit. We discuss the real-time fight against exploitation, the role of platforms like Reddit and Snapchat in hosting harmful content, and groundbreaking tools like the Take It Down Act that could be game-changers. 📢 It’s time to get informed and take action.  Our movement is growing, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Watch the latest episode to understand where we stand, what’s next, and how *you* can be part of this change. Watch now and stay ahead in the fight to protect future generations. #EndExploitation #ProtectKids #EmergingTech #AI #CESESummit

🚨 Ready to Join the Movement to End Exploitation?🚨 We just dropped a new episode of *The Movement*—and if you're not watching, you're missing out on the *biggest conversations shaping the future of child protection and tech accountability.* 🔍 What’s inside? - Real-life dangers of AI: People are actually prompting AI to create disturbing images of children. - Big Tech's silence: Companies profit from abuse while hiding behind laws like CDA 230, protecting themselves—not kids. - Emerging solutions: We’re leveraging AI and data to *fight back*—from sextortion prevention to combatting deepfake child abuse. This episode features insights from a few of the global leaders who met at the recent Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Summit. We discuss the real-time fight against exploitation, the role of platforms like Reddit and Snapchat in hosting harmful content, and groundbreaking tools like the Take It Down Act that could be game-changers. 📢 It’s time to get informed and take action.  Our movement is growing, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Watch the latest episode to understand where we stand, what’s next, and how *you* can be part of this change. Watch now and stay ahead in the fight to protect future generations. #EndExploitation #ProtectKids #EmergingTech #AI #CESESummit

Really excited to announce that research by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation's Research Institute can now be found on ResearchGate. Publications from 2023-2024 include: Lisa Thompson, Haley McNamara, Victoria Rousay, Lily Moric, Dawn Hawkins, and Dani Pinter, Identifying Image-based Sexual Abuse: Classifications and Definitions, (Washington, DC: National Center on Sexual Exploitation, August 2024). [https://lnkd.in/eC93CcX5] Lisa Thompson, The High Stakes of AI Ethics: Evaluating OpenAI’s Potential Shift to “NSFW” Content and Other Concerns (Washington, DC: National Center on Sexual Exploitation, July 31, 2024; updated August 23, 2024). [https://lnkd.in/e3t2njbf] Marcel van der Watt, Primary Prevention of Sex Trafficking: Time to Move the Needle on Demand Reduction. Journal of Human Trafficking 10, no. 2 (2024): 368-373.[https://lnkd.in/eiJiPGrZ] Marcel van der Watt, Discouraging the demand that fosters sex trafficking: Collaboration through augmented intelligence. Societies 13, no. 4 (2023): 94. [https://lnkd.in/eGaaAvft] Michael Shively, Marcel van der Watt, Lisa Thompson, Jordan Marshall, and Victoria Rousay. 2023. National Assessment of Demand Reduction Efforts, Part II: New Developments in the Primary Prevention of Sex Trafficking, (Washington DC, National Center on Sexual Exploitation), NIJ Award #:2020-75-CX-0011, 2020) [https://lnkd.in/eufaTcqN]

🚨 How many more children must we lose before real change happens?  Social media is failing to protect kids—learn how KOSA can hold platforms accountable and what you can do to make a difference. Here are just a few devastating stories highlighting the real harms of social media: 🖤 Zach Didier, 17, was shown a drug dealer by Snapchat. He thought he was buying a prescription pill. It was fentanyl. Zach passed away on 12/27/20. 🖤 Mason Bogard, 15, died after attempting a dangerous "choking challenge" video suggested to him by YouTube. 🖤 Walker Montgomery, 16, was targeted for sextortion on Instagram. Two hours later, he took his own life. These aren’t isolated incidents—they are just the tip of the iceberg of harms that social media platforms are exposing children to daily. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is designed to prevent these tragedies by holding platforms accountable and putting children’s safety first. Here’s how KOSA could help:  ✔️ Disable private messaging to minors from unknown adults  ✔️ Turn off geotagging that allows predators and drug dealers to target kids  ✔️ Stop harmful content algorithms from pushing dangerous videos to children  ✔️ Set safety settings to the highest level by default  ✔️ Create a legal duty of care to prevent and mitigate these harms  It’s time for action. We need your voice to demand change. 👏 Thank you Scrolling2Death and Project STAND for providing this information and your tireless advocacy. Help make sure KOSA becomes law. Call your representatives and ask them to co-sponsor KOSA—the future of our children depends on it. 💻 Take action now: https://lnkd.in/gWWhUmVz   #KOSA #ProtectKids #OnlineSafety #SocialMediaHarms #EndExploitation #Scrolling2Death #ProjectSTAND

❓ Is "sugar dating" just another form of modern dating? Or is it something far more dangerous? As websites and apps promoting "sugar dating" continue to grow, it’s crucial to recognize the reality behind this trending market. 🔑 Key Points: -The premise involves wealthy individuals—often older—offering money or gifts to younger, lower-income individuals in exchange for intimacy.  -Companies like SeekingArrangement target young, vulnerable people, masking exploitation as “mutual” relationships.  -Sugar dating creates dangerous power imbalances, where financial desperation leads to sexual coercion, manipulation, and even assault.  -Despite the risks, the public and even educational institutions often treat sugar dating lightly, ignoring the harms. Let’s be clear: Sugar dating isn’t just "dating." It’s a form of exploitation. 💬 What are your thoughts? Is enough being done to address the dangers of sugar dating? How can we better protect those being targeted? Share your perspective in the comments! #SexualExploitation #SugarDating #EndDemand #Advocacy #NCOSE #ProtectTheVulnerable

Image based-sexual abuse (IBSA) is the sexual violation of a person committed through the abuse, exploitation, or weaponization of any image depicting the person. It includes but is not limited to the creation, distribution, theft, extortion, or any use of images for sexual purposes without the meaningful consent of the depicted person.  Historically, survivors of IBSA have had tremendous difficulty obtaining justice for what was done to them, as the law is lagging behind with this emerging form of sexual violence. But with your help, we are changing the law and giving survivors of IBSA a path to justice!  Over the past few months we have achieved monumental victories in the fight against IBSA! Read about these victories here: https://lnkd.in/ehBxJGy4

For many survivors of AI-generated image-based sexual abuse (AI-generated IBSA, commonly referred to as “deepfake pornography”), it is devastating to realize there are currently no federal laws addressing AI-generated IBSA. The lack of protections and justice for survivors and the lack of accountability for perpetrators and facilitators under federal law is unacceptable. In order to address this issue, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation supports a variety of priority bills combatting IBSA:     ‼️ The TAKE IT DOWN Act   (Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites & Networks): The TAKE IT DOWN Act criminalizes the publication and/or threat of publication of IBSA. Additionally, it requires companies to remove IBSA “content” within 48 hours of notice from a survivor. Tech companies must also make a reasonable effort to remove all IBSA, including duplicates of images.    ‼️ The SHIELD Act   (Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution Act):  The SHIELD Act criminalizes the non-consensual distribution and/or threat of distribution of sexually explicit images. It also makes the distribution of visual depictions of a nude minor with the intent to abuse, humiliate, harass or degrade the minor a criminal offense.    ‼️ The DEFIANCE Act   (Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act):  The DEFIANCE Act allows survivors of AI-generated IBSA to obtain civil justice against the uploaders of the content. The Act also ensures victims’ privacy is preserved.    ‼️ The PROTECT Act  (The Preventing Rampant Online Technological and Criminal Trafficking Act):   The PROTECT Act requires websites that allow sexually explicit content to obtain verified consent forms from individuals uploading and appearing in the materials. Additionally, sites are required to remove non-consensual content.     ‼️ The Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act:  The Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act establishes a civil right of action for victims of AI-generated IBSA and deepfakes. It also criminalizes the creation and distribution of sexual deepfakes.     These bipartisan bills continue to amass support from survivors, experts, and leaders in the movement. We have seen progress on these bills, but there is still a long way ahead of us to get them signed into law. This is where we need your help! Take a few minutes today to urge your congressmen to stop IBSA by passing this critical legislation: https://lnkd.in/epzwR2vV