Meta platform probe results in three arrests for child exploitation

A probe by the New Mexico Attorney General into Meta’s platforms has led to the arrests of three men charged with attempting to sexually abuse children. This follows a detailed investigation into child exploitation risks on Facebook and Instagram, which also initiated a lawsuit against Meta in December. The lawsuit accuses the company of failing to adequately protect children from predators.

Despite Meta defending its platforms by highlighting the safety tools it provides for children and parents, the investigation revealed disturbing findings. Undercover agents from the attorney general’s office set up false Facebook and Instagram profiles pretending to be children. These accounts were reportedly exposed to sexually suggestive content and were approached by other users who solicited pornographic content.

The arrest of the three men from New Mexico was announced after they allegedly engaged with these decoy accounts and attempted to arrange a meeting with a 12-year-old girl at a motel, believing her to be real. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, in a press conference, directly blamed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the company’s profit-driven policies for these incidents.

Meta responded by emphasizing its efforts to combat child exploitation, including deploying advanced technology and collaborating with law enforcement and other organizations to tackle such crimes.

These recent arrests add another layer to the scrutiny Meta is under regarding the safety of young users on its platforms. This concern has been echoed by lawmakers, parents, and online safety advocates and is compounded by separate lawsuits citing negative impacts on teens’ mental health and wellbeing. Following the lawsuit and prior to a Senate hearing on online youth safety, Zuckerberg apologized to affected families and Meta introduced new safety features aimed at protecting teens.

Despite these efforts, the recent arrests highlight the persistent real-world dangers posed by Meta’s platforms, according to Attorney General Torrez. He pointed out that the interactions between the suspects and the decoy accounts are indicative of the real threats children face on these platforms, where predators actively seek out and exploit minors.

Among those arrested, 52-year-old Fernando Clyde allegedly began a sexually explicit conversation with one of the fake child accounts, for which he is now facing charges. Marlon Kellywood, aged 29, and 47-year-old Christopher Reynolds face similar charges after engaging in inappropriate communications with the decoy accounts. Legal representation for the accused was not available for immediate comment.