Is your child being exposed to pedophiles in the metaverse?



Researchers recently uncovered troubling data revealing what they called a disturbing landscape that exposes children to grooming and pornography in online spaces.

For years child predators have been lurking in many online marketplaces that are popular with children: Snapchat, Fortnite, and Discord are just a few of the apps that have struggled to keep teens cordoned off.

As with any of these platforms, parental guidance is the most important line of defense that children should be able to rely on.

According to recent research by Hindenburg, a massive, country-sized number of youngsters are under constant threat from child predators.

The research focused on Roblox, which was described as the second-highest-grossing app on iOS in 2020. The platform allows users to program and play games created by the community. It became highly popularized when students were forcibly contained in their homes during COVID-19 lockdowns, at a time when long-distance learning was mandatory.

As of Q2 2024, Roblox has a reported 79 million active daily users, an increase of almost 15 million from the same time in 2023, Backlinko reported.

With approximately 58% of its user base under 16 years old, that equates to a community of at least 46 million children.

Bathroom simulators

Children are exposed to grooming, pornography, violent content, and what researchers categorized as extremely abusive speech on the platform.

Researchers created accounts as if they were children and said their avatars routinely faced grooming attempts while being able to access games with sexual, violent, and pornographic content.

In a press email, Hindenburg founder Nate Anderson pointed to 73 active group pages on Roblox — available to children of all ages — that "solicit child sexual material and/or sexual experiences from minors."

At the time of this publication, at least 45 of those page remained active, with another dozen or so pages still active but having recently disabled comments and/or posts.

The active groups are, at best, disturbing.

Multiple pages refer to people who have a fetish for role-playing as skunks, while other groups refer to diaper-changing and the brand Pampers consistently.

The page "pamped studios" links to a game called Diaper Tycoon, which offers achievements for "girls pull ups" and "boys pull ups."

One group called "wedgie" warned users that the group would likely be deleted soon and directed them to another community.

Users on that page wrote public messages, visible without signing in to the platform, that included "add me if you u would obey me in ANYTHING I say."

Other posts read "[Femboys] add for heavy 'lemonade,'" and "Hello, i do roleplays and stuff."

Anderson said that Roblox has quietly removed some questionable children's games and put others under review. These included titles such as Escape To Epstein Island and Public Bathroom Simulator.

However, there are still three different Public Bathroom Simulator games available for users of “all ages:”

  1. Public Bathroom Simulator
  2. Public Bathroom Simulator (2)
  3. Public Bathroom Simulator (3)

Screenshot obtained by Blaze News from https://www.roblox.com/games/18991046468/Public-Bathroom-Simulator

Roblox responds

Roblox explained in an email that it has published a response to Hindenburg's accusations, but most of the statement addresses claims of fraudulent financial statements.

Addressing the safety concerns, Roblox wrote: "Roblox takes any content or behavior on the platform that doesn’t abide by its standards extremely seriously, and Roblox has a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent malicious or harmful activity on the platform."

In a separate blog post, the company stated that its detecting and reporting systems flag just 0.0063% of its total content for policy violations surrounding bullying, hate speech, or violent extremism.

"It's no coincidence that our policies are significantly stricter than those found on social networks and user-generated content platforms and cover everything from profanity to ad standards," the company added.

Specific to users under 13, Roblox says it has filters in place to block the sharing of personal information and attempts by users to take conversations off Roblox, where "standards and moderation are less stringent."

Additionally, the company says it does not allow users to exchange images or videos through voice or text messages.

Furthermore, it said that all uploaded content (images, video, audio, 3D models, and text) goes through a comprehensive review process, including artificial intelligence augmented by humans.

Naturally, these provisions haven't been able to prevent some offenders from skirting the security measures.

An elementary school teacher in Prince George's County, Maryland, was federally indicted after messaging a 9-year-old student on Roblox.

Mark Cobb allegedly sent messages to the child on the platform in which he asked for and received sexual photos. Police said they later found more videos and images of children under 12 at his home.

The teacher was charged with nearly a dozen child sex abuse crimes, WJLA reported, including the alleged coercion and enticement of a child and possession of child pornography.

Roblox was asked to directly address this incident and whether the company could have prevented it. This article will be updated with any applicable responses.

13,000 incidents

Unfortunately, this was not the first crime of this nature with a connection to Roblox. Several predators have been arrested for enticing children by offering them the platform's virtual gaming currency, Robux.

In 2019, a Florida man was charged with 26 counts relating to child pornography and solicitation of a child for asking children ages 10-12 to send naked photos in exchange for Robux.

In 2020, a registered sex offender in Michigan was arrested for enticing an 8-year-old girl into sending him sexual content in exchange for Robux, as well. Police later found over 20 videos of the child on his iPad.

More recently, at least six men have taken their communications from Roblox offline and escalated to actual incidents of rape or kidnapping against their victims.

In 2021, a California man was charged with kidnapping and raping an 11-year-old after he communicated with the child on Roblox.

In 2022, another man drove from California to Pennsylvania to break into a 14-year-old's home. The man assaulted the young girl and was charged with assault, unlawful sexual contact, and corruption of a minor.

The same year, a 33-year-old man from Georgia kidnapped and raped a 13-year-old girl he met on Roblox; he was charged with five felonies, including statutory rape and child molestation.

Other Roblox-fueled charges in 2022 included a Florida man kidnapping and sexually assaulting a child under the age of 12 and a man in Michigan kidnapping a 14-year-old girl. The Michigan man picked up the child from school and later dropped her off at a homeless shelter.

Roblox has attempted to stem this activity by developing relationships with federal and state authorities, including directly allowing law enforcement to connect to the company's Roblox Law Enforcement Portal.

The company also says it proactively reports "potential safety threats" to the FBI.

Roblox also reports potentially harmful content to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, reporting over 13,000 incidents to the NCMEC in 2023 alone.

This vast number displays the sheer volume of potential predators Roblox is dealing with.

Hindenburg's founder told Blaze News that one of the reasons this is happening is because there isn't enough up-front screening for new users.

"Users do not need to provide any personal identifiable information to set up an account," Anderson said. "Anyone, including pedophiles, can register an account in under a minute and begin anonymously playing and chatting with children."

Anderson added that bypassing the parental controls is as easy as "self-identifying at 13+."

As with any of these platforms, parental guidance is the most important line of defense that children should be able to rely on.

It remains true, however, that an overarching conversation about child safety online, and whether or not children need access to these types of platforms, is sorely needed.

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Did Diddy prey on a young Justin Bieber?



Justin Bieber’s life, for all its glittering success, is a story of tragedy — a cautionary tale of a simple kid thrust into a world of sadistic sleaze. At the age of 13, the Canadian artist burst onto the scene with “Baby." A fitting title if there ever was one.

In Bieber’s case, the transformation was shocking. His once-wholesome image was replaced by tattoos, addiction, depression, and erratic behavior.

You see, Bieber was just that — a baby surrounded by child predators. The entertainment industry, often seen as a glamorous playground, has repeatedly failed to protect its youngest stars. This isn’t a glitch in the system; it’s how the system operates. The entertainment industry is a breeding ground for manipulation, abuse, and exploitation.

It's a place where innocence goes to die.

Recently, Bieber, now 30, has faced some criticism (most notably from Maureen Callahan and Megyn Kelly) for not commenting on the arrest of Sean "Diddy" Combs. While Kelly questioned why Bieber has not spoken out, Candace Owens took the conversation in a much darker direction.

What did Diddy do?

In a recent episode of her show, titled "What Did Diddy Do to Justin Bieber?" Owens raised unsettling questions about the disgraced music mogul's interactions with Bieber when he was just 16.

While Owens has a taste for the sensational, her points deserve attention, especially given the context. She referred to footage of Bieber, apparently under the influence, at one of Diddy’s infamous parties and asked whether inappropriate behavior may have occurred. "Justin Bieber is not sober," Owens said. "He is clearly very under the influence at this party. ... Diddy may have done some inappropriate things with him."

He may have. Then again, the lube-loving lecher may not have. But this is Hollywood we are talking about, a place where young stars are routinely deceived, defiled, and discarded by those who make and break careers.

In Bieber’s case, the transformation was shocking. His once-wholesome image was replaced by tattoos, addiction, depression, and erratic behavior. While the world pointed fingers at his antics, few paused to ask how this teen found himself in such a dark place so quickly.

Bieber's story is hardly unique. It's very rare to find a child star who isn't damaged in some way. Britney Spears didn't just start dancing with knives out of nowhere.

Predator’s paradise

HBO’s 2020 documentary "Showbiz Kids" presented firsthand accounts of former child stars who described the emotional, physical, and sexual exploitation they endured. Todd Bridges, famous for his role on "Diff’rent Strokes," recounted his own experience of being molested as a child actor. Similarly, Evan Rachel Wood openly discussed how children in Hollywood are routinely subjected to various forms of abuse, including sexual exploitation.

More recently, the docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" exposed the toxic, destructive culture that child actors faced while working on Nickelodeon shows. Drake Bell, former star of Nickelodeon's "The Amanda Show" and "Drake and Josh," disclosed that dialogue coach Brian Peck had sexually assaulted him. In 2003, Peck was sentenced to 16 months in prison and required to register as a sex offender. Bell, whose identity was kept confidential at the time, described Nickelodeon as a “factory” that treated child actors as “expendable.”

Corey Feldman, perhaps one of the most tragic figures to emerge from the 1980s child star circuit, has been vocal for years about the pervasive problem of pedophilia in Hollywood. Feldman, who was sexually abused as a boy, told the Guardian in 2020 that "the biggest problem in Hollywood is pedophilia.” He emphasized how children, lured by the promise of fame and fortune, often find themselves caught in a web of coercion by powerful figures who go unpunished for years. For young men, it can be especially difficult to discuss abuse, particularly when the majority of the perpetrators are other men (a fact that Megyn Kelly, to her credit, acknowledged).

Watching Feldman perform with his rock band today might prompt some to snicker, but what you are witnessing is the struggle of a grown man whose innocence was stolen at an early age. This is tragedy playing out, not comedy.

Empathy, not enmity

This brings us back to Justin Bieber, whose body is now a canvas for over 70 tattoos. Many studies have shown a significant link between trauma and an obsession with tattooing, suggesting that individuals may turn to body art as a form of coping or expression. His well-documented struggles with addiction and various mental health issues reveal a painful journey marked by existential obstacles. It wasn’t until the singer found solace in faith, embraced the power of prayer, and married Hailey Baldwin, daughter of Baldwin family oddball Stephen, that he began to heal.

The question we should be asking isn’t why Bieber has remained silent on certain issues but whether he’s okay. As he stated in "Lonely," a song released a few years ago:

“And everybody saw me sick / And it felt like no one gave a s**t / They criticized the things I did as an idiot kid.”

“What if you had it all / And it felt like nobody to call? Maybe then you'd know me / 'Cause I've had everything / But no one's listening / And that's just lonely. I'm so lonely. Lonely.”

Even if Diddy didn’t molest him, Bieber is a survivor. He deserves grace. His life has been a roller coaster — full of exploitation, despair, and drug abuse, but also fortitude, faith, and redemption. The industry failed to offer him protection. And yet somehow, despite everything, Justin Bieber is still standing.

'He's a monster': Ex-FBI agent who's now an ex-state trooper gets life in prison for sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl



A former FBI agent was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl while he was serving as an Alabama state trooper. The convicted child sexual predator was reportedly booted from the FBI after numerous sexual misconduct claims, including that he raped a co-worker at knifepoint. In the end, a forged letter allegedly enabled him to obtain the state trooper position.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Jimmy Pool sentenced Christopher Bauer, 45, to life in prison Thursday.

Despite the disgraceful dismissal, Bauer was allegedly able to get a job as an Alabama state trooper in 2019 by using a forged FBI letter.

In June, Bauer was convicted on charges of first-degree sodomy and sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years of age.

Bauer faces similar child sex abuse charges in New Orleans, the Associated Press reported. Louisiana State Police said they plan on extraditing him.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said in a statement that Bauer sexually abused "a young girl over the span of several years" while he was an Alabama state trooper. In April 2021, the victim reportedly confided in a friend that Bauer had been sexually abusing her since the age of 5.

Two days later, the friend told her mother about the sexual abuse allegations. The mother informed school administrators of the alleged child sex crimes, and the school officials immediately contacted the Montgomery Police Department. Bauer was arrested and charged on the same day.

The victim's mother told the judge in court, “He’s a monster." The girl's mother claimed Bauer used his police badge to project the “image of a good person.”

“He had everyone fooled,” she added.

During the trial, Bauer denied the allegations of sexually abusing the young girl and accused the victim of lying.

"If she said I did something to her, then yes, that's a lie," Bauer said.

However, Judge Pool proclaimed during sentencing that he “believed every single word” of the victim’s testimony.

Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey said, “It is always extremely disappointing when someone who is supposed to enforce and uphold the law commits a crime against the people they have sworn to protect. However, I do not believe Christopher Bauer reflects the character of most of the law enforcement officers who serve our country. He is a bad apple — a depraved monster who abused his power to irreparably harm a vulnerable, innocent child.”

Bailey continued, “I commend the victim for having the courage to speak up about what was happening to her. She was so brave throughout her testimony, which was undoubtedly difficult for her. I hope she and her family take solace in knowing Christopher Bauer will never harm her nor anyone else ever again. My office fought for the maximum sentence in this case, and I extend my gratitude to Judge Jimmy Pool for sentencing this sexual predator to life in prison, as that is where he deserves to die.”

Bauer previously worked for the FBI in New Orleans until he reportedly was dismissed from the bureau after several sexual misconduct claims.

A May 2021 Associated Press story stated that Bauer was suspended without pay and stripped of his FBI security clearance in late 2018 over a "string of sexual misconduct allegations" that included a co-worker’s claim that he raped her at knifepoint.

Despite the disgraceful dismissal, Bauer allegedly was able to get a job as an Alabama state trooper in 2019 by using a forged FBI letter.

Bauer reportedly indicated on his state trooper application that the FBI never let him go or had any derogatory claims against him.

Bauer allegedly furnished a fake letter from the FBI to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency that said he had a decade of “creditable service” and was “eligible for rehire.”

However, the FBI informed the AP: “The letter is not legitimate.”

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California Democratic mayor resigns after allegations of him attempting to meet underage boy for sexual acts



A California Democratic mayor has resigned after allegations of him attempting to meet an underage boy for sexual acts surfaced online. The accusations against the mayor were exposed in a video shared on social media that allegedly shows the mayor of Wasco being assaulted.

On July 24, a video was posted to a private Facebook group that allegedly involved Wasco Mayor Alex Garcia, according to the Independent. The San Joaquin Valley Sun reported that the post on Facebook accused Garcia of arranging to meet with a 15-year-old boy. However, Garcia had reportedly been speaking to a man posing as a minor to catch child sex predators.

"Based on Alex’s sexual orientation, it appears that this could have been some kind of hate crime or homophobic attack."

The man, Davonn Bradley, told the Wasco Tribune that he met Garcia on the gay dating app Sniffies, where he allegedly posed as a "super young" minor.

"Plus, this is a man who came to meet a 15-year-old. He also brought weed, a pipe, a full bottle of alcohol, sex paraphernalia, and a bottle we looked up called 'poppers' with four to five pills floating at the bottom, which was very suspicious," Bradley told the outlet.

Garcia was allegedly confronted by Bradley and another man. The alleged altercation was captured on video and became physical at one point. Footage purportedly shows Garcia in a headlock by one of the men. The video reportedly shows Garcia being shoved and punched in the head multiple times.

Garcia's lawyer — Jared Thompson of the Bakersfield law firm of Humphrey & Thompson — said in a statement that the former mayor may have been "tricked" and "lured" so the men could have made a "homophobic attack." Garcia was the first openly LGBT elected official in Kern County.

"Based on the information we have available right now, it appears to be a situation where two individuals tricked Alex and lured him to a location in Bakersfield and then attacked him," Thompson stated. "The video that is circulating shows felony conduct on the part of the individuals, not Alex. Based on Alex’s sexual orientation, it appears that this could have been some kind of hate crime or homophobic attack. Essentially, we hope that any criminal investigation would focus on that.”

Bradley told the Wasco Tribune, "We didn't meet up with him to fight; we even told him we didn't want to hurt him. His claims are nonsense. He kept reaching into his bag as if he had a weapon. Naturally, anyone would defend themselves in that situation."

The City of Wasco said in a press release earlier this week: "The Wasco Police Department has been in communication with the City of Bakersfield, and the Bakersfield Police Department has attempted to contact the parties responsible for the social media posts."

On Tuesday, the Kern County Democratic Party demanded that Mayor Garcia resign.

A statement from the Kern County Democratic Party read: "We have been made aware of the recent allegations made against Wasco Mayor Alex Garcia. The Kern County Democratic Party unequivocally condemns any acts of violence, sexual assault, and harassment in any form, especially when involving an individual who cannot give consent, such as a minor."

"As such, the Kern County Democratic Party calls on Mayor Garcia to immediately resign from his position on the Wasco City Council, so that the city can focus on the work of serving its citizens without distraction," the statement said.

Neel Sannappa — vice-chair of the California Democratic Progressive Caucus — also called for Garcia's resignation if he is guilty of the alleged crimes.

“Obviously, if he’s guilty of what he’s being accused of, he definitely shouldn’t serve,” Sannappa said, according to KGET.

After pressure from his own party, Garcia resigned on Thursday morning.

Garcia announced his resignation in a statement that read:

To the Citizens of Wasco,

As I have been healing following my recent assault, I am now finally able to speak with you to announce, with a heavy heart and profound regret, my resignation as Mayor and Council Member of the City of Wasco.

As many of you are aware, there is a situation that requires my personal and full attention. I want to assure you that the accusations made against me are mischaracterized and inaccurate and certainly do not reflect who I am or what I stand for. However, due to the controversy surrounding these allegations, I am left with no choice but to resign for the overall health and success of our great City to ensure that you can continue moving projects along and making positive changes with no distractions. I am thankful for all those who have stood by me and sent supportive messages during this time, as I have healed from my injuries and processed this difficult decision.

I have had the pleasure of serving as your Mayor for the better part of the past decade and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I thank you immensely for the privilege of servicing this wonderful community and I am deeply sorry that my term is ending under these circumstances. I am looking forward to witnessing the future of Wasco and all the new Council will have to offer, and I will continue to root for and support this city and its amazing citizens.

Thank you again,

Alex Garcia

Wasco City Manager Scott Hurlbert confirmed to KERO-TV that the Wasco City Council will appoint a new mayor and mayor pro tempore for the remainder of the current term at its next council meeting.

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Interview: The 'ethical hacker' who fights child predators



The United States faces a grave issue with online predators, particularly those targeting children. This growing threat has necessitated the rise of vigilant individuals like Ryan M. Montgomery.

If his name doesn't ring a bell, it should. Montgomery has dedicated his life to protecting the most vulnerable among us — children — from the dangers lurking in cyberspace. In a world increasingly governed by digital interactions, Montgomery stands as a guardian, exposing some of the most heinous individuals imaginable and saving numerous children in the process.

'Something that I hear all of the time from victims is that they were too scared to tell their parents because they didn't want to lose access to their devices.'

Heroism is often an overused term, but it is fitting for someone who commits his life to literally saving others. Montgomery’s journey into this dark underworld began with a deeply disturbing incident. "I got into the fight against human trafficking and violence against children because of a super disturbing incident," he recalls.

His friend's wife had sent him screenshots from a vile website where predators openly shared their depraved fantasies. Outraged and disgusted, Montgomery decided to do something. "The content was so appalling that it instilled a ridiculous level of anger in me, motivating me to take action on this specific website and dedicate myself to protecting others," he explains.

One of the most alarming aspects of Montgomery's work is the evolving methods predators use. Initially, they relied on text-based chat rooms to groom children, but the landscape has shifted significantly, “especially with the rise in online gaming, social media, video chatrooms, and even educational apps," Montgomery notes. Predators now exploit these platforms to manipulate children into revealing personal information or compromising photos — a tactic known as sextortion.

The methods used by these predators range from the relatively simple to the incredibly sophisticated. Grooming, for instance, involves predators building a seemingly innocent friendship with the child before gradually introducing inappropriate topics.

Catfishing, or creating fake identities, is another common tactic. "Predators will create a fake identity online, sometimes called 'Sock Puppet Account' or 'Catfish Account,' which tricks the child into believing they are speaking to someone else," Montgomery explains. Cyberstalking and sextortion add further layers of complexity and danger.

More advanced techniques include deepfake technology and location spoofing. "AI-generated child porn has become a very real thing over the last 12 months," Montgomery warns. Predators use real photos of children taken from social media and manipulate them into explicit images.

Location spoofing allows predators to fake their location, deceiving children into believing they are closer or in a trusted area. The dark web also plays a significant role in the distribution and viewing of illegal content, with predators using services like Tor to maintain anonymity.

It is crucial to recognize that not all apps are created equal, and some pose more potent dangers than others.

Snapchat, with its disappearing messages and location-sharing feature, is a favorite among predators. Discord, initially created for gamers, has become a grooming hotspot.

Montgomery reserves special ire for one app in particular: Kik, notorious for its lack of moderation. "I believe this app should be wiped from the internet," he says.

For the uninitiated, Kik allows users to send text messages, photos, videos, and other content. Worldwide, 15 million people use the app every month; roughly half of these people live in the United States. Kids enjoy using Kik because it is easy to navigate, lets them chat with friends quickly, and doesn't require a phone number — just a username. This makes it appealing for those who wish to keep conversations private. This can be both a blessing and a curse.

Kik is particularly dangerous for several reasons. Firstly, the app allows for anonymity, as users can create accounts with just a username, making it easy for predators to hide their true identity and pretend to be someone they're not.

Additionally, Kik has a history of weak oversight, allowing inappropriate and harmful content to spread without being caught quickly. The app also features public and private chat rooms where strangers can easily connect with kids, increasing the risk of encountering predators. Since messages and content can be exchanged without phone numbers, it becomes harder for parents to monitor who their kids are talking to.

So, how can parents protect their children in this digital age? Montgomery emphasizes that awareness begins at home. "Parents can do their best to ensure the safety of their kids through ... open communication," he advises. "Something that I hear all of the time from victims is that they were too scared to tell their parents because they didn't want to lose access to their devices."

In this day and age, Montgomery counsels compromise — maintaining access to devices while monitoring activity.

Utilizing parental control software is crucial. These tools allow parents to restrict and monitor applications and websites and even trigger alerts if their child is being groomed, bullied, or discussing self-harm. "This greatly reduces cases of exploitation by simply educating yourself on what exists on the internet in the first place," Montgomery emphasizes.

There are several effective parental control software options that can help parents monitor and manage their children's online activities. These are just a few examples:

  1. Net Nanny: This software provides comprehensive monitoring and filtering tools. It can block inappropriate content, manage screen time, and monitor social media usage. It also offers real-time alerts and reports on your child’s online activity.
  2. Qustodio: Qustodio offers features like content filtering, app blocking, and screen-time management. It also includes a detailed dashboard that shows how much time your child spends on different apps and websites, along with insights into their online behavior.
  3. Bark: Bark monitors texts, emails, and social media accounts for signs of cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and other risks. It provides alerts to parents about potential issues and offers tools to help manage and limit screen time.
  4. Kaspersky Safe Kids: This software allows parents to manage app usage, set screen-time limits, and monitor online activity. It also includes features for tracking your child’s location and monitoring social media activity.

Parents must also stay informed about new social media platforms and apps that children might use, Montgomery advises. They should also be prepared to involve law enforcement if necessary: "You should be aware of how to correctly report suspicious activity and predatory behavior to the correct authorities."

Instagram’s Selective Blurring Of Nudity Falls Woefully Short Of Protecting Kids

Instagram should ban direct messaging to minors or prohibit minors from sending or receiving images and videos.

Naked Men Freely Expose Themselves To Kids At Pride Because The Right Bought The Left’s ‘Tolerance’ Lie

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