UNITED STATES
The New York Times
December 7, 2019
By Nellie Bowles and Michael H. Keller
Criminals are making virtual connections with children through gaming and social media platforms. One popular site warns visitors, “Please be careful.”
When Kate’s 13-year-old son took up Minecraft and Fortnite, she did not worry.
The video games were hardly Grand Theft Auto — banned in their home because it was too violent — and he played in a room where she could keep an eye on him.
But about six weeks later, Kate saw something appalling pop up on the screen: a video of bestiality involving a young boy. Horrified, she scrolled through her son’s account on Discord, a platform where gamers can chat while playing. The conversations were filled with graphic language and imagery of sexual acts posted by others, she said.
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