Federal authorities launch awareness campaign about child sexual exploitation

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is launching a national awareness campaign aimed at educating the public about the threat of child sexual exploitation and preventing future crimes from occurring, the Biden administration announced Wednesday.

The initiative, called Know 2Protect, is what DHS described as a “pioneering” campaign that brings together public and private sector companies to provide resources to young people, parents, community leaders and educators where they spend most of their time. .

DHS has included several high-profile partners in the effort, including technology companies such as Google, Meta, Snap, Intel and Roblox; sports league partners such as Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), NASCAR, the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) ); youth-serving organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and National Police Athletic League (National PAL) and various law enforcement associations.

“All of us, working together, must protect our children from the heinous and growing crime of online child sexual exploitation and abuse,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. “The tragic reality is that as young people spend more time online, predators around the world increasingly target them through manipulation and deception.”

The campaign website launched Wednesday and is being promoted in 25 media markets and online through digital and physical billboards across the country. DHS said in its statement that the campaign will reach millions of Americans and publicize resources to educate the public about sexual exploitation and provide resources to report potential abuse.

“The best way to keep children safe online is to provide useful information where they are: on social media and online gaming platforms, and through clubs, sporting events and organisations,” said Kate Kennedy, director of the Know2Protect campaign, in the statement to press. “By partnering with a range of companies to raise awareness and spread educational messages, we are keeping children safe from online predators.”

Google will donate advertising credits for Google Display, YouTube and Google Search, which DHS said will “strengthen the reach of the campaign.” Meta will also promote the campaign on Facebook and Instagram.

Roblox will display in-game billboard ads with helpful internet safety tips and best practices. DHS said Roblox will partner with the campaign to develop “immersive in-game experiences,” including building characters and earning badges supported by the campaign, according to the release.

Snap will also provide advertising credits on the platform and conduct research to gauge Snapchat users’ awareness of various online risks. The Know2Protect website will be promoted in Snap’s online privacy and security and parent centers, DHS said.

Several partner sports leagues will display campaign promotional material during games and races.

The campaign comes amid growing concern about child sexual exploitation and abuse. There were more than 36 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation in 2023, which DHS reported is double what it was in 2019. It’s also a 360 percent increase from ten years ago.