child exploitation Archives

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

N.J. sues Discord, alleging the messaging app leaves kids vulnerable to predators

State officials in New Jersey have filed a lawsuit against Discord, alleging that the messaging platform fails to protect children from online predators and misrepresents its safety features, particularly regarding direct messaging. New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin claims that Discord's misleading safety settings have made it a target for predators, exposing young users to risks. Discord has announced its intention to contest the lawsuit, asserting its commitment to safety. The complaint points out that Discord's default settings allow users to receive friend requests from anyone and that its claims about scanning and removing explicit content are misleading. The lawsuit demands that Discord relinquish profits earned in New Jersey and seeks civil penalties, following incidents where inadequate safeguards led to child exploitation. Additionally, a man has been accused of communicating with a 14-year-old victim on Discord after previously assaulting her.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

N.J. attorney general sues Discord messaging app over child predator concerns

New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against Discord, claiming the platform fails to adequately protect underage users from predators, thus breaching the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The lawsuit highlights that children can easily create accounts without proper age verification, allowing adult users to contact them. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin criticized Discord's safety measures, stating they can be easily bypassed. In 2023, an NBC News investigation linked 35 cases of serious crimes to interactions on Discord. Discord’s CEO acknowledged the severity of these issues and announced updates to child safety policies, including a ban on teen dating and AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

N.J. teacher accused of uploading child pornography posed as a teen in chat app, officials say

Matthew Serwedes, a 48-year-old former technology educator from Union County, has been charged with second-degree distribution and third-degree possession of child sexual abuse material. He allegedly posed as a teenager on an encrypted messaging platform to engage with users and had uploaded images of child exploitation. The investigation began with a tip on December 5, 2024, leading authorities to trace videos of sexual abuse to Serwedes' IP address. During a search of his home, electronic devices were confiscated, and he admitted to owning the account used for the activities. Serwedes was placed on administrative leave from his teaching position, and the school district stated there is no evidence of student involvement. He remains in custody awaiting a detention hearing and plans to plead not guilty. Additionally, he wrote a six-page apology letter to the victims and their families.

AppWizard

September 17, 2024

Former teacher admits trading child sexual abuse images via messaging app

Amit Netanel, a 61-year-old former teacher from Hamilton County, pleaded guilty to three counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor. His illicit activities were discovered after tips about his use of the Kik messenger app for sharing child sexual abuse images led to a search warrant at his home, where evidence was found. Netanel previously worked as a second-grade teacher at Rockwern Academy but had not been associated with the school since June. His attorney stated that he acknowledged possessing child sexual abuse material and has accepted responsibility for his actions. He faces a maximum sentence of 28 years, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for October 29.

AppWizard

August 29, 2024

Telegram CEO Durov charged with several crimes related to messaging app in France

Pavel Durov, CEO and co-founder of Telegram, faced serious charges in a French court on August 28, including complicity in the distribution of sexual images of children and drug trafficking. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccou announced sufficient grounds for a formal investigation into twelve charges against Durov, which include managing an online platform for illegal transactions, child pornography, drug trafficking, fraud, failure to provide information to authorities, money laundering, and providing cryptographic services to criminals. Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport on August 24 and granted bail under conditions including a €5 million payment and bi-weekly police reporting. He acquired French citizenship in 2021 and reportedly resides in Dubai. France had issued arrest warrants for Durov and his brother Nikolai in March, and the investigation into Telegram began several months before the public charges. Durov has a net worth estimated at .5 billion and left Russia in 2014 after resisting government demands. Despite claiming exile, he has returned to Russia over sixty times since then. Telegram is widely used in Ukraine, with 44% of Ukrainians utilizing it for news and information according to a September 2023 poll.