The Dirty Dozen – at one time that name brought to mind a classic, action-packed war film featuring late greats like Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson and John Cassavetes. Now, that name has another connotation, one of which parents and educators need to be aware.
Each year the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCSE) releases its Dirty Dozen list, which serves as a compendium of 12 applications and websites that contribute to the online sexual abuse and/or exploitation of minors.
According to NCSE’s recent release of the listing, the Dirty Dozen has existed since 2013 and has “galvanized thousands of individuals…to call on corporations, government agencies and organizations to change problematic policies and practices,” which make it easier for predators to utilize technologies and platforms to lure their prey.
NCSE claims its efforts have yielded major victories at such tech giants as Google, Netflix, TikTok and Verizon, among others.
Many of these companies have, unknowingly, facilitated and enabled predators. This year, the list is led by Apple.
Not all of the platforms listed seem like they would be popular with children, however, adults use them and, therefore, children might have access to them when the adults leave them logged-on on devices to which children might use.
The Dirty Dozen, aside from its 12 platforms to watch out for, also includes a “Watch List” of potentially harmful sites. This year, the only one named is Snapchat, which, according to NCSE, can change a child’s life forever in a snap. “[T]he impact of sextortion, grooming and child sex abuse can last a lifetime. This app is dangerous by its very design.”
NCSE invites victims of sexual exploitation to share their stories, as “sometimes it’s useful to focus on personal healing first. But for many, sharing their past or current experiences may be a resorative and liberating process.” The agency’s website, endsexualexploitation.org, has information on how to do this.
The Dirty Dozen, courtesy of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation
- Apple –The pre-eminent tech giant is cited by NCSE for a refusal to scan for child sex abuse material and the hosting of dangerous apps with deceptive age ratings and descriptions.
- Cash App –This popular peer-to-peer payment application is cited because it “appeals to pimps, predators and pedophiles looking for a covert way to conduct criminal activity.”
- CDA Section 230 – The Communications Decency Act, section 230, is, according to NCSE, “The Greatest Enabler of Online Sexual Exploitation.” The act grants Big Tech blanket immunity for any and all types of abuses they facilitate, according to NCSE, and unless Section 230 is amended, corporations cannot be held accountable.
- Cloudfare – This provides a platform for sex buyers and traffickers, according to NCSE, as well as prostitution forums and deepfake sites.
- Discord –This platform is a “hotspot for dangerous interactions and deepfakes,” according to NCSE, and is popular with predators looking to create, trade or find sexually abusive content of children and unsuspecting adults.
- LinkedIn – A professional networking platform that doesn’t seem like a place where children would habit, LinkedIn is, according to NCSE, stemming sexual exploitation by legitimizing Pornhub, and also overlooks deepfake tool promotion.
- Meta –The launch of Meta’s end-to-end encryption, open-sourced AI and virtual reality have unleashed “new worlds of exploitation,” according to NCSE, and its brands continue to rank among the most dangerous for children.
- Microsoft’s Github – This platform, according to NCSE, is the global hub for creating sexually exploitative AI tech. “The vast majority of deepfakes ‘nudify’ apps, and AI-generated child sex abuse content originate on this platform.”
- Reddit – Reddit is “riddled with sexploitation,” according to NCSE. Child sex abuse material, sex trafficking and image-based sexual abuse hide in plain sight among “endless” porn subreddits on the platform.
- Roblox – This game, according to NCSE, is full of opportunities for children to be exposed to predators, rape-themed games and age-inappropriate content, such as sex parties.
- Spotify – The music streaming giant also features sexually explicit images, sadistic content and networks trading in child sex abuse material on its platform, according to NCSE.
- Telegram –A messaging app, Telegram is, according to NCSE, known as “the dark web alternative,” and serves as a “safe haven for criminal communities across the globe.”
