Manipulated by predators, sold for sex: 12 survivors of online sexual exploitation denied justice
4. Doe v. Kik Interactive (S.D. Fla. 2020)
In July 2019, Jane Doe started receiving messages from adult men on a platform known as Kik, according to a lawsuit filed by the victim. The web-based interactive service is marketed to teenagers and young adults, allowing users to send messages to one another.
The strange men sent Jane Doe sexually graphic photos of themselves, and they coerced her to do the same. After Jane Doe's father discovered the photos on her cellphone and computer tablet, he contacted the police. They also filed a lawsuit against the online platform, accusing Kik of facilitating sexual abuse.
"But it didn't matter. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act allowed Kik to deflect any accountability, as usual," NCOSE states in its latest annual report. "And Jane and her family were left with nothing after the abuse they suffered at the hands of this tech giant."
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman