ONLINE EXPLOITATION OF MINORS
Utah teenager, kidnapped in 2025, uses an online game to rescue herself from captivity after 500 days of intense search; here’s how it unfolded
A teenager from Utah, was kidnapped and held captive for over 17 months. During her captivity, she revealed her situation while playing an online game. This revelation prompted another player’s mother to inform the FBI about the situation. Law enforcement monitored a call with Arellano to gather evidence and coordinate a rescue operation. Soon after, she was rescued from her captor's home in Oregon and received medical treatment.
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishanaw emphasises social media's role in child safety, algorithmic transparency
Indian IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that social media platforms must prioritise children's safety and accountability. He highlighted the courts and police as the current recourse for citizens facing online harms. The Supreme Court declared internet access a fundamental right for children, establishing the need for a national database against abusive content. Vaishnaw reinforced the importance of giving citizens a voice on these platforms for addressing grievances.
Delhi Police files FIR against Meta India over child sexual abuse material on its platforms
In response to directives from the National Human Rights Commission, Delhi Police has launched an FIR against Meta India, concerning the alarming presence of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material on its platforms. This follows previous summons from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. As a proactive measure, Meta India is now coordinating with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre to report child safety violations.
Children have fundamental right to access internet, can't impose blanket ban on its use: SC
The Supreme Court affirmed the right to access the internet as fundamental for children. It ordered the creation of a national database to detect and remove harmful content targeting minors. The court emphasized the importance of content moderation while ensuring child safety online. It implemented measures to combat the increase in child sexual exploitation material on digital platforms.
Supreme Court seeks Centre's reply on social media curbs for kids
The petition, filed by Emerald Heights International School, Indore, and its director Siddharth Singh, seeks comprehensive safeguards for children using social media platforms.
Indian man jailed in France for leading sadist Nazi cult that tortured girls
Rohan Rane, a 29-year-old Indian, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading a cruel group. This group forced several young girls, primarily minors, into sexual acts and self-harm. Many victims were lured online, threatened, and coerced into complying with the group's demands. Rane's actions and leadership prompted international attention and calls for justice. Authorities plan to seek his extradition to the United States upon completion of his sentence.
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Indian man Rohan Rane on trial in Paris for online sexual exploitation and abuse of minors
Rohan Rane, a 29-year-old from India, is currently on trial in Paris facing grave accusations. He purportedly orchestrated a Discord group that exploited and intimidated underage girls through malicious sextortion techniques. Victims from several countries are involved, and the trial, which is being conducted behind closed doors, marks the conclusion of a thorough investigation.
Alleged Indian leader of neo-Nazi child abuse ring goes on trial in Paris
An Indian man went on trial in Paris on Monday, accused of running a neo-Nazi child exploitation ring in which young girls were allegedly coerced into performing sexual acts online and engaging in self-harm. - Closed-door trial - The Paris criminal court on Monday ordered the trial be held behind closed doors.
Centre backs Supreme Court, plans legal bar on social media accounts for under-18s
The Centre plans to amend the Information Technology Rules to restrict children under 18 from opening social media accounts. During a Supreme Court hearing, officials acknowledged the risks children face in the digital environment. The government has agreed to make it mandatory for intermediaries to prevent minors from registering on these platforms. Existing guidelines will be reinforced through new statutory measures.
ETtech Explainer: Decoding EU’s move to dismantle addictive technology for children
The proposed KIDS Act would set different access rules by age, bring AI companions and conversational chatbots under the bloc’s child-safety framework and require platforms to build safeguards into their services. The proposal comes as governments in several countries consider tighter restrictions on children’s access to social media and other online services.
California bans addictive social media features for under-16s, AI chatbot toys
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed technology laws protecting children online. These measures restrict social media features designed for compulsive use. A four-year ban on AI companion chatbots in toys was also enacted. The legislation strengthens online privacy and parental controls for minors. These laws aim to ensure technology supports children's well-being.
Pakistan's Punjab Assembly seeks ban on social media accounts for children under 16
The Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution seeking a legal ban on social media for children under sixteen. This move addresses growing concerns over cyberbullying and online exploitation of minors. Lawmakers unanimously adopted the resolution, urging federal legislation for stricter access controls. The assembly cited international examples from Australia and France in its recommendation. This action reflects global efforts to enhance online safety for young internet users.
Meta settlement opens new front in global fight over social media harm
Meta's up to $18 billion settlement with nearly 50 US states over social media harm to teenagers has opened a new front in a global government fight to protect children and curb addiction to platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
Amravati 100 videos shocker: 19-year-old lures minor girls, films them, then uses clips for blackmail. Police probe serious cyber exploitation
A 19-year-old youth in Amravati district has been arrested for allegedly filming and blackmailing minor girls using explicit videos. The case has shocked nearby towns, with around 100 videos reportedly circulated online. The accused is said to have lured victims through social media, recorded the abuse without consent, and used the footage for intimidation. Police have launched an extensive investigation, with the cyber cell working to remove the videos and track those sharing them.
What is Operation Eclipse? Inside the INTERPOL-led operation to bust child sexual abuse ring, rescue 65 kids and arrest 60 suspects across the Americas
A year-long international police operation has successfully rescued 65 minors and led to 60 arrests across nine countries. Operation Eclipse uncovered child sexual abuse networks, identifying victims aged 5 to 13, with girls disproportionately affected. Offenders ranged from family members to transnational predators. Protective services were provided to all rescued victims.
Spain moves to ban social media access for children under 16
Spain plans to ban children under 16 from social media. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the move to protect young users. Platforms will need strong age verification. This is part of a wider European effort to regulate online spaces. Spain aims to hold platforms accountable for harmful content and disinformation. The proposed ban is expected to be approved soon.
53-year-old Middletown man poses as 14-year-old boy to sexually exploit minor girls through online apps, asks them to self-harm on camera
A Middletown man, William Scott Elam, pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting children, coercion, and enticement, receiving a 26-year federal prison sentence. The 53-year-old targeted at least 10 minor girls online, posing as a 14-year-old boy and using threats to obtain sexual material. His crimes came to light after a mandated reporter contacted the FBI.
North Carolina mother sues Roblox; alleges platform enabled exploitation of 10-year-old daughter
A North Carolina mother has sued Roblox. She alleges the platform facilitated her daughter's sexual exploitation. The lawsuit claims Roblox failed to protect children from online predators. The predator allegedly gained the girl's trust. He then coerced her into sending explicit images for Robux. The lawsuit challenges Roblox's safety measures. It highlights concerns about age verification and moderation.
Roblox in hot water: Louisiana slaps gaming giant with explosive new lawsuit
Louisiana’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit against Roblox Corporation, claiming the platform enables child predators by failing to implement required safety measures. The state claims that Roblox prioritizes revenue over user protection, putting a high risk environment for minors. Roblox counters the claims, emphasizing parental controls, age-appropriate safeguards, and collaboration with law enforcement to protect users.
Louisiana sues Roblox game platform over child safety
The US state of Louisiana has filed a lawsuit accusing Roblox of facilitating the exploitation of children, prompting the online game platform to reject the claim as "untrue" on Friday. A lawsuit filed by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill contends that Silicon Valley-based Roblox facilitates distribution of child sexual abuse material and the exploitation of minors.
Meta probed over AI chatbot talk with children
A US senator on Friday announced an investigation into whether Meta AI chatbots were allowed to engage in potentially harmful online exchanges with children. Hawley said the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he heads, will start an investigation into whether Meta generative AI products "enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children."
Student's 10-month hotel fraud exposed: How a 21-year-old scammed 63 hotels with this trick?
A 21-year-old student from Zhejiang, China, scammed 63 hotels over 10 months by planting dead cockroaches, hair, and used condoms in rooms to fake unhygienic conditions. Identified as Jiang, he extorted compensation or free stays by threatening hotels with online defamation. Jiang’s elaborate scheme unraveled when a suspicious manager reported him to the police, leading to his arrest.
Texas sues TikTok for violating children's privacy
Paxton said TikTok, whose parent is China's ByteDance, does not provide tools to restrict children's privacy and account settings, even allowing information to be shared from accounts set to "private," and allows targeted advertising to children.
NCPCR asks social media platforms to explore ways to protect children online
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) met with major social media platforms to discuss child safety online. They emphasized age verification, blocking harmful content, and supporting law enforcement. Recommendations included mandatory KYC procedures and reporting of child exploitation cases. Platforms must submit an Action Taken Report within seven days.
Facebook, Instagram face fresh scrutiny under EU's digital norms
It is the latest round of scrutiny for parent company Meta Platforms under the 27-nation EU's Digital Services Act, a sweeping set of regulations that took effect last year with the goal of cleaning up online platforms and protecting internet users.
New Mexico sues Meta, CEO Mark Zuckerberg over child protection failures
"Our investigation into Meta's social media platforms demonstrates that they are not safe spaces for children but rather prime locations for predators to trade child pornography and solicit minors for sex," Torrez said in a statement.
Child Sexual Exploitation: This is why US Senate panel issued subpoenas to Discord, Snap and X
A Senate panel in US has issued subpoenas to major tech companies after their 'repeated refusals' by the giants to cooperate with its investigation into the matter. Many have issued a statement regarding the investigation.
China fines tech giants for content exploiting children
Platforms including Alibaba's e-commerce marketplace Taobao, Tencent's QQ messaging service, live-streaming site Kuaishou, microblogging platform Sina Weibo and social media and e-commerce service Xiaohongshu were fined for distributing sexually suggestive stickers or short videos of children, it said.
RS panel suggests dedicated system to prevent online abuse of children
A dedicated mechanism to deal with online sexual crimes on children and changes in the definition of 'child pornography' under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act are some of the recommendations that a panel of MPs looking into the impact of child pornography is likely to have suggested.
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