Parents warned of dangers of YouTube after paedophiles target kids
An investigation has revealed paedophiles are targeting children who live stream online via YouTube.
More than 100 grooming cases were found where children who broadcast online were being asked to pose in sexual positions or take off their clothes, reports The Times.
In some cases, the youngsters were promised thousands of extra followers if they carried out the perverts’ six requests.
YouTube allegedly failed to remove half the live-streamed videos showing the sexual exploitation of children after it was flagged up to them by a Times reporter.
They have now reportedly started to remove the footage after the PR department for the Google-owned video site was contacted.
Experts are now warning parents against using the internet as a ‘babysitter’ and to monitor their activity online.
Findings estimate one in three children aged six to 10 broadcast online, often using a webcam in their bedroom.
A recent case of child exploitation on YouTube saw the channel Toy Freaks , with 8.5million followers, shut down after its operator shared pictures of his daughter in distressing scenarios that appealed topaedophiles.
Previously, only users with 10,000 followers were able to live stream, but YouTube removed that policy last year – allowing anyone to live broadcasts to their followers.
In one unsettling case, two girls under the age of eight were asked to "pull their pants down" and to mimic sex acts.
Another case involved two young girls being asked to touch one another inappropriately.
Michael Sheath, senior practitioner at the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, an organisation working to prevent abuse online, said:"People need to stop using the internet as a babysitter.
"Just because your children are indoors, they are not safe from paedophiles"
Javad Khan, head of children’s charity Barnardos said: "Children’ lives are being destroyed by paedophiles using social media sites to ‘live groom’ them."
YouTube acknowledged paedophiles did find a way to target children on the platform.
It said: "Any content, including comments, that endangers minors is abhorrent and we have clear policies prohibiting this."
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