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Tanuki

(16,088 posts)
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 06:46 AM Sep 20

Zuckerberg using photos of 13-y.o. schoolgirls to lure men to Threads

This is seriously sick.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/20/parents-outraged-meta-uses-photos-schoolgirls-ads-man

"META has used back-to-school pictures of schoolgirls to advertise one of its social media platforms to a 37-year-old man, in a move parents described as “outrageous” and “upsetting”.

The man noticed that posts encouraging him to “get Threads”, Mark Zuckerberg’s rival to Elon Musk’s X, were being dropped into his Instagram feed featuring embedded posts of uniformed girls as young as 13 with their faces visible and, in most cases, their names.

The children’s images were used by Meta after their parents had posted them on Instagram to mark their return to school. The parents were unaware that Meta’s settings permitted it to do this. One mother said her account was set to private, but the posts were automatically cross-posting to Threads where they were visible. Another said she posted the picture to a public Instagram account. The posts of their children were highlighted to the stranger as “suggested threads”.
The recipient told the Guardian the posts felt “deliberately provocative and ultimately exploitative of the children and families involved”.

The father of a 13-year-old who appeared in one of the posts said it was “absolutely outrageous”. The images were all of schoolgirls in short skirts with either bare legs or stockings.
“When I found out an image of her has been exploited in what felt like a sexualised way by a massive company like that to market their product it left me feeling quite disgusted,” he said."....(more)

74 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Zuckerberg using photos of 13-y.o. schoolgirls to lure men to Threads (Original Post) Tanuki Sep 20 OP
"'I warned Mark Zuckerberg teens weren't safe on Instagram - he ignored me' Goonch Sep 20 #1
Chilling. No other word to describe this. /nt artemisia1 Sep 20 #2
while I doubt Zuckerberg did this personally he is still a sick fuck LymphocyteLover Sep 20 #3
It's totally on brand for him. ... littlemissmartypants Sep 20 #5
IIRC, the proto-Facebook was used to rate female students for how hot they were . . . hatrack Sep 20 #7
Exactly. TY, hatrack. ❤️ littlemissmartypants Sep 20 #8
You are correct. llmart Sep 20 #14
The Social Network is the name of the film, and it's a well-crafted film at that. Xavier Breath Sep 20 #22
Thanks! llmart Sep 20 #30
Yea - I think it was called "Hot or Not". A bunch of nerdy Geeks who barely knew how to Marie Marie Sep 20 #71
I think he's a sociopath fujiyamasan Sep 20 #53
💯 littlemissmartypants Sep 20 #67
Invented to rate hot college women... SergeStorms Sep 20 #65
May he be the next in line to have a fascist day of remembrance RVN VET71 Sep 20 #12
No, you're thinking of McKenzie (Bezos) Scott. Tanuki Sep 20 #19
Holy sheeeit! Thank you, thank you, thank you. RVN VET71 Sep 20 #24
It was an algorithm that put them in an ad. LeftInTX Sep 20 #26
FB Terms of Service says they can do this with all uploaded content. intheflow Sep 20 #43
Looks like FB's legal team might have a problem... erronis Sep 20 #46
Disgusting Cirsium Sep 20 #58
Remember Facebook started as "hot or not" Javaman Sep 20 #27
Just another republican pedophile. BComplex Sep 20 #40
He did it by personally creating a corporate culture that allows it. tinrobot Sep 20 #72
The Greed Chasstev365 Sep 20 #4
Well, who raised them? (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Sep 20 #10
My kids, at least, were raised in the best environment I could provide RazorbackExpat Sep 20 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author Heidi Sep 20 #41
Zuck has now proven he will use paedo bait for profit. Sick fuck. Celerity Sep 20 #6
Ummm, we do realize that Fuckerbergs model for Facebook maxrandb Sep 20 #9
And still, people use Facebook. Crazy. Scrivener7 Sep 20 #11
I know people who think"online" means "Facebook." Pinback Sep 20 #21
Creeps is as creeps does. Just Jerome Sep 20 #15
Zuckerberg is Musk lonely bird Sep 20 #16
And neither was Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, or Larry Ellison, etc. erronis Sep 20 #47
True lonely bird Sep 20 #54
Most disclaimers state things like this, however.... 3825-87867 Sep 20 #17
Sorta...but in a billionaire's ad? LeftInTX Sep 20 #28
You Can't Sign Away Your Rights OhioTim Sep 20 #18
I knew suckerberg was weird rpannier Sep 20 #20
Considering he hangs with Trump and Ellison... Initech Sep 20 #64
"It made me feel quite disgusted" is not a reaction any men in my family would have Iris Sep 20 #23
Their real reaction may not have been fit to print. Wednesdays Sep 20 #42
I hope so. Iris Sep 20 #44
Zuck the Fuck wolfie001 Sep 20 #25
There's going to come a time, I hope soon, when we as a people crush the tech bros. paleotn Sep 20 #29
How republicon is that? BoRaGard Sep 20 #31
I'm a geezer, other than DU have never used social media. Not sure why it's NoMoreRepugs Sep 20 #32
Dopamine is a hell of a drug Pinback Sep 20 #38
Much wrong with... Mike Nelson Sep 20 #33
Sickening. iluvtennis Sep 20 #34
Rich white men can do what they want. Rapist in the WH will protect them. Irish_Dem Sep 20 #35
Zuck could use the sexualized pics of Trump with his underage daughter Ivanka. Norrrm Sep 20 #36
Asked what he & Ivanka had in common he said SEX. With his daughter. His words. Maru Kitteh Sep 20 #56
That's how I feel about Mark Zuckerberg.. disgusted milestogo Sep 20 #37
I'm not surprised he's doing that, but if men take the bait, Heidi Sep 20 #39
There are so many other platforms....why does anyone still use fb? PortTack Sep 20 #45
These social media billionaire rats all live in the same sewer. They all cross pollinate. flashman13 Sep 20 #48
I couldn't agree more. Buddyzbuddy Sep 20 #50
Disgusting. But fits with some other things Meta has done that I've posted about on DU. highplainsdem Sep 20 #49
Old mark is probably just Faux pas Sep 20 #51
This message was self-deleted by its author Faux pas Sep 20 #52
He's maybe just posting the 13 year old girls AdamGG Sep 20 #55
look at this statistic NJCher Sep 20 #57
That's just totally gross. and disturbing. 58Sunliner Sep 20 #60
Zuckerberg is a pedo like his good friend, Cankles. red dog 1 Sep 20 #59
The G O P ( Guardian's Of Pedophiles) MW67 Sep 20 #61
gotta love the idiots who think their "privacy" settings mean jackshit Skittles Sep 20 #62
This is fucking disgusting. Like truly disgusting. Initech Sep 20 #63
The pedophile posse malaise Sep 20 #66
Grooming and Pimping dlk Sep 20 #68
There are a bunch of issues here Renew Deal Sep 20 #69
Zucko will just blame it on a faulty algorithm, or a 'hallucinating' AI. LudwigPastorius Sep 20 #70
Good for this guy pattyloutwo Sep 21 #73
Best to not post pictures of your kids then? Aussie105 Sep 21 #74

Goonch

(4,010 posts)
1. "'I warned Mark Zuckerberg teens weren't safe on Instagram - he ignored me'
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 07:25 AM
Sep 20

"Former executive Arturo Béjar says his warnings were ignored by Zuckerberg

In his testimony to US Senators, Arturo Béjar said his teenage daughter and her friends had for years received unwanted sexual advances on Instagram Credit: Stephanie Scarbrough/AP
Matthew Field
19 November 2023 12:00pm GMT
Matthew Field

Instagram-owner Meta is “fundamentally misleading” the public about the safety of its picture-sharing app for teens, a former executive-turned-whistleblower has said..."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/11/19/instagram-not-safe-for-teens-claims-meta-whistleblower/

LymphocyteLover

(8,806 posts)
3. while I doubt Zuckerberg did this personally he is still a sick fuck
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 07:49 AM
Sep 20

he has way too much power over so many people with his platforms

littlemissmartypants

(29,893 posts)
5. It's totally on brand for him. ...
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 07:58 AM
Sep 20

Exploitation was the entire business model for Facebook from the start, going back to his college days. Nothing has changed.

hatrack

(63,629 posts)
7. IIRC, the proto-Facebook was used to rate female students for how hot they were . . .
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 08:06 AM
Sep 20

So yeah, sounds about right.

llmart

(16,881 posts)
14. You are correct.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 08:40 AM
Sep 20

I remember that too. There was a movie about how he got his start. Can't remember the name of it, but I watched it when it first came out and was appalled about what and who he was. If I remember correctly, he was an original "incel" when in college.

Marie Marie

(10,561 posts)
71. Yea - I think it was called "Hot or Not". A bunch of nerdy Geeks who barely knew how to
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 11:32 PM
Sep 20

approach or engage with real women sitting there staring at and judging pics of their classmates. He is still an asshole only bigger and different. Oh and,
filthy rich. What a world!

fujiyamasan

(723 posts)
53. I think he's a sociopath
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 03:31 PM
Sep 20

And he knows how bad the algos on his platforms are. That’s why he always blocks out his kids faces with smiley emojis when he posts anything. That’s fine and common sense, but this comes from a guy that claims no one has any privacy.

RVN VET71

(3,037 posts)
12. May he be the next in line to have a fascist day of remembrance
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 08:31 AM
Sep 20

Get it? Just like the late Charlie Kirk (aka Carlos Iglesias, the Jackal), shot in the neck at a remarkable range -- 250 yards was it? Just opining on a lazy Saturday morning.

Just thinking how many worthless shit-stain NFL owners would honor that call for Zuckie as they did for Chucky.? Probably none because Zuckeroo lacks the "Jesus is White and Loves the Rich" component.

But isn't Zuck's ex wife a fairly decent philanthropical human being? Apparently, unlike her curly haired ex she actually has this empathic compassion thing going and is using the large slice of Facebook pie she got in the divorce settlement to perform good works.

RVN VET71

(3,037 posts)
24. Holy sheeeit! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:12 AM
Sep 20

Bezos' ex seems like a personable and caring person. I truly want to remember her for the good she does and for possessing all of the human qualities he former husband has lost.

Thank you, one more time, for dispelling my ignorance.

LeftInTX

(34,006 posts)
26. It was an algorithm that put them in an ad.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:14 AM
Sep 20

Teens can be in ads if their parents give consent, but in this case Meta did it without their consent.

It's cheap and cheating and Zuckerberg got free ads out of parents' posts.

They have every right to sue.

If Zuckerberg wants ads, he needs to pay for them.

intheflow

(29,744 posts)
43. FB Terms of Service says they can do this with all uploaded content.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 12:12 PM
Sep 20
3.3 The permissions you give us

We need certain permissions from you to provide our services:

1. Your content: Some content that you share or upload, such as photos or videos, may be protected by intellectual property laws.

You retain ownership of the intellectual property rights (things like copyright or trademarks) in any such content that you create and share on Facebook and other you use. Nothing in these Terms takes away the rights you have to your own content. You are free to share your content with anyone else, wherever you want.

However, to provide our services we need you to give us some legal permissions (known as a "license&quot to use this content. This is solely for the purposes of providing and improving our Products and services as described in Section 1 above.

2. Permission to use content you create and share: Specifically, when you share, post, or upload content that is covered by intellectual property rights on or in connection with our Products, you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, and worldwide license to host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, publicly perform or display, translate, and create derivative works of your content (consistent with your and settings). This means, for example, that if you share a photo on Facebook, you give us permission to store, copy, and share it with others (again, consistent with your settings) such as Meta Products or service providers that support those products and services. This license will end when your content is deleted from our systems.

https://www.facebook.com/terms?section_id=section_3


Sorry, Parents. You agreed to this when you signed up to use the platform.

erronis

(21,400 posts)
46. Looks like FB's legal team might have a problem...
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 02:25 PM
Sep 20

If this excerpt you quoted from the FB terms URL, there is a small clause:

(consistent with your and settings)

Which doesn't make sense and could void their rights to steal and re-use content.

I won't go on one of their many sites so I can't check this out.

Cirsium

(2,903 posts)
58. Disgusting
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 05:20 PM
Sep 20

"We need certain permissions from you to provide our services."

How did so many people fall for this?

Javaman

(64,547 posts)
27. Remember Facebook started as "hot or not"
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:18 AM
Sep 20

He’s been a creep his whole life

My very distinct fear is these mentally 13 year old creeps are trying like hell to normalize rape and pedophilia

And to paraphrase Carl Sandburg, “ the evil arrives quietly, gracefully, and stealthily, much like a cat moves”

BComplex

(9,568 posts)
40. Just another republican pedophile.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 10:57 AM
Sep 20

Every. Single. One. of those pedophiles are voting republican russian party. The sick-stick-together party.

tinrobot

(11,786 posts)
72. He did it by personally creating a corporate culture that allows it.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 11:35 PM
Sep 20

He's the CEO, ultimate responsibility lies with him.

Chasstev365

(6,331 posts)
4. The Greed
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 07:52 AM
Sep 20

The guy has billions, but let's make more off this shit.
Why do so many Zuckerberg's generation have no morals whatsoever?

RazorbackExpat

(622 posts)
13. My kids, at least, were raised in the best environment I could provide
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 08:40 AM
Sep 20

in Japan, where 道徳 (ethics) is part of the school curriculum.

Response to RazorbackExpat (Reply #13)

maxrandb

(16,864 posts)
9. Ummm, we do realize that Fuckerbergs model for Facebook
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 08:09 AM
Sep 20

was a website he used to rate the "fuckability" of women at his college.

That he's a sick, perverted, misogynistic prick, is about as surprising as Donnie Dipshit grabbing women by the "hoo-haa".

I am shocked! Shocked I tell you.

Pinback

(13,405 posts)
21. I know people who think"online" means "Facebook."
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:07 AM
Sep 20

They conduct their social and family interactions largely through the Zuckerverse — FB, Instagram, and Threads. There are also plenty of venues and organizations that have no web presence other than those platforms, so it’s hard to access their info unless you get it by word of mouth or a random ad or flyer.

But I digress. Facebook and the other Zuckerberg platforms have such fervently dependent users (and such an ocean of cash) that they’re unlikely to face serious consequences from even such egregious behavior as that cited in the OP.

But it’s not a monopoly. And regulatory oversight would be “burdensome.”

lonely bird

(2,554 posts)
16. Zuckerberg is Musk
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 08:50 AM
Sep 20

Neither were great coders.

They were sales/marketing guys, period.

Neither is, imo, a genius. Both are pieces of crap.

erronis

(21,400 posts)
47. And neither was Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs, or Larry Ellison, etc.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 03:02 PM
Sep 20

Being a great coder is not the path to riches and power.

(Says I, 60 years of coding since BAL - sometimes pretty good. But did it because I enjoyed the art and the science of it.)

lonely bird

(2,554 posts)
54. True
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 03:36 PM
Sep 20

They were marketers. Gates and Jobs made opposing decisions and were lucky to have good people in place.

Gates after the success has shown himself to be the excellent example of having money does not make you an expert particularly in areas outside of where you made your money.

3825-87867

(1,611 posts)
17. Most disclaimers state things like this, however....
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 08:51 AM
Sep 20

virtually NO ONE reads them (too long; too much legalese! can't be bothered to take the time - plus - I don't really understand and the gov will make sure things are ok, right?)

Better check birth certificates... may give business or the feds the right to do anything they want with people...oh, wait..

LeftInTX

(34,006 posts)
28. Sorta...but in a billionaire's ad?
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:23 AM
Sep 20

I remember signing disclaimers that my pic or kids pics could be used in promotional materials or possibly media. However, it was generally associated with non-profits and school etc. Schools do occasionally have pictures of students, the media comes to schools and often there are pics of the kids in the background. Student athletes are often featured in the media. Parents all sign disclaimers.

But it isn't quite the same as using the student the student in a billionaire's ad. Zuckerberg can afford to pay for ads.

Iris

(16,699 posts)
23. "It made me feel quite disgusted" is not a reaction any men in my family would have
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:12 AM
Sep 20

Or the aunties either.

paleotn

(20,947 posts)
29. There's going to come a time, I hope soon, when we as a people crush the tech bros.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:26 AM
Sep 20

Just like the 19th century trusts got crushed. Wasn't easy, but there is precedent and hope.

NoMoreRepugs

(11,638 posts)
32. I'm a geezer, other than DU have never used social media. Not sure why it's
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:40 AM
Sep 20

important to post pics of your young children going back to school or frankly doing anything on social media when you should be well aware of its ugly side.

Pinback

(13,405 posts)
38. Dopamine is a hell of a drug
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 10:38 AM
Sep 20

— ok, hormone. Many people have become conditioned to “needing” the hit they get from online acceptance and approval. Makes no sense to me.

Mike Nelson

(10,764 posts)
33. Much wrong with...
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 09:41 AM
Sep 20

... this story. Maybe there are other photos, other than the one pictured... I assume robots picked the lure photos, based on clicks... If so, they need better robots! And the headline is misleading, as many are... so I fixed it:

"Zuckerberg algorithms use photos of 13-y.o. schoolgirls to lure pedophiles to Threads"

Norrrm

(3,045 posts)
36. Zuck could use the sexualized pics of Trump with his underage daughter Ivanka.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 10:21 AM
Sep 20

Later, he referred to her as a 'piece of ass'?

Heidi

(58,835 posts)
39. I'm not surprised he's doing that, but if men take the bait,
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 10:46 AM
Sep 20

they‘re creeps—not victims, not entrapped. I‘m sick to effin‘ death of hearing lame excuses from and apologies on behalf of grown-ass men allegedly lured by children (FYI, that’s anyone under the legal age of consent). They’ll play hell *ever* convincing me that men in general are bumbling idiots and so easily led around by their penises and power dynamics. I’ve known too many decent, non-predatory men in my life to *ever* buy that bullsh!t.

flashman13

(1,534 posts)
48. These social media billionaire rats all live in the same sewer. They all cross pollinate.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 03:06 PM
Sep 20

Dump all of your social media. You don't need it. I have lived without them my entire life with no ill effects. Especially block it from your children's phones. They are a curse on humanity.

Faux pas

(15,940 posts)
51. Old mark is probably just
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 03:31 PM
Sep 20

a newer member the billionaire pedophiles club. DISGUSTIPATING!!! That better not be covered under "free effing speech"!!!!

Response to Tanuki (Original post)

AdamGG

(1,794 posts)
55. He's maybe just posting the 13 year old girls
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 03:42 PM
Sep 20

to gain hits from the President of the United States.

NJCher

(41,541 posts)
57. look at this statistic
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 04:13 PM
Sep 20

(from the article)

the post of her child attracted nearly 7,000 views, 90% from non-followers, half of whom were aged over 44 and 90% of whom were men.

I shuddered when I read that.

Skittles

(167,731 posts)
62. gotta love the idiots who think their "privacy" settings mean jackshit
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 07:20 PM
Sep 20

very glad I was never sucked into the FB Borg, it is disgusting

Renew Deal

(84,502 posts)
69. There are a bunch of issues here
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 10:32 PM
Sep 20

Facebook goes out of it's way to overcome users privacy choices. People choose a more private setting and then Facebook creates a slightly different setting, calls it something else, and turns it on.

It is outrageous that Facebook would use anyone's images for promotional purposes, but especially minors.

The parents deserve some blame too. If the pictures are too provocative for some people to see them, they are too provocative for any people to see them. Anything posted on the internet should be considered public regardless of settings, because you can't control the audience or individual people, including the ones you trust.

LudwigPastorius

(13,481 posts)
70. Zucko will just blame it on a faulty algorithm, or a 'hallucinating' AI.
Sat Sep 20, 2025, 10:56 PM
Sep 20

...but, he's just getting back to his roots...using kids this time.

"Facemash" was a website designed to evaluate the attractiveness of female Harvard students. The students were unaware their images were being used for this rating. The site used ID photos of female undergraduates taken without permission from the university's online directories.


https://www.businessinsider.com/how-facebook-was-founded-2010-3

Aussie105

(7,259 posts)
74. Best to not post pictures of your kids then?
Sun Sep 21, 2025, 04:18 AM
Sep 21

No matter how harmless your intent, there are people who trawl the internet looking for pictures to support whatever agenda they are pushing.

Pictures on dating sites that say 'Meet Russian women!' for example . . . you can use reverse lookup on the pictures to see their origin.

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