An analysis of 3M+ Discord and Telegram chats in 50+ groups finds a global network of thousands of violent predators who target, groom, and extort kids online
A global network of violent predators is hiding in plain sight, targeting children on major platforms, grooming them, and extorting them to commit horrific acts of abuse. Mastodon: @mattburgess@infosec.exchange . X: @ttp_updates , @chrisd9r , @stevehuff , and @andrewcouts Mastodon: Matt Burgess / @mattburgess@infosec.exchange : A reporting partnership by WIRED, Der Spiegel, Recorder, and The Washington Post has exposed a horrific global network of violent predators—where groomers, often teenagers themselves, extort children into committing acts of abuse. — The consortium analyzed more than 3 million messages, examined court records, interviewed victims of the group, and much more. … X: @ttp_updates : Discord didn't launch parental controls until the summer of 2023, despite having a large population of users under 18. Today's reporting in WIRED, Der Spiegel, Recorder, and the Washington Post underscores the recklessness of this decision. [image] Chris Dehghanpoor / @chrisd9r : For Wired, @awinston - one of the first journalists to shed light on 764 - wrote not just about the group, but the ‘com’ network as a whole. The piece also draws on police reports, court records, and victim interviews to profile several key members. https://www.wired.com/... Steve Huff / @stevehuff : This is beyond insane and I expect the story will go viral. While it appears well-sourced, I've no doubt it could also cause nothing short of a new Satanic Panic. Worse because these stories appear to be true. Don't read if you are easily disturbed. https://www.wired.com/... Andrew Couts / @andrewcouts : NEW: A global network of violent predators is hiding in plain sight, targeting children on major platforms, grooming them, and extorting them to commit horrific acts of abuse. READER DISCRETION ADVISED: https://www.wired.com/... Expand More For Next Unexpand More For Next