PAPS and Meta Launch "STOP! Sextortion" Awareness Campaign
- Admin
- 8月12日
- 読了時間: 3分
— Protecting Children and Young People from Sextortion —
The Specified Nonprofit Corporation PAPS is partnering with Meta in its “STOP! Sextortion” campaign, which launched on July 28, to promote awareness activities aimed at schools, educational institutions, and households across Japan. The goal is to help children and their guardians understand and respond effectively to sextortion.
For Meta’s press release, please see the link below:
Background of Sextortion Victimization
In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in cases of “sextortion,” in which offenders use social media or messaging apps to coerce individuals into sending sexual images, and then demand money or additional images. Victims are of all genders and ages, with minors being particularly affected. Even after the images are sent, the threats often continue, leaving victims with deep psychological and social scars.
However, in Japan, many children and parents are still unaware that such crimes exist, making the provision of information and education for prevention an urgent priority.
Campaign Features
For this campaign, Meta has produced a video to raise widespread awareness of the crime of “sextortion” and to urge people not to send sexual images to others as a way to prevent victimization.
Video Content
Clearly explains that anyone, regardless of gender, including boys, can become a victim.
Introduces three ways to respond if victimized:
1. Seek advice from the NPO PAPS.
2. Use reporting and blocking features on social media apps.
3. Utilize the image-distribution prevention platform Take It Down.
Distribution Method
The video will be delivered primarily through Instagram advertisements, targeting young users—including teenagers—and their guardians, with the aim of raising awareness of the crime and promoting preventive action.
Campaign Overview
This campaign will widely share the following messages through social media platforms such as Instagram, as well as via printed materials. Flyers can be downloaded from the link below.
Never Send Nude Photos! Even showing yourself naked on a video call carries the risk of being recorded.
Sending Money or Gift Cards Won’t Stop the Threats! Complying with demands will not end the abuse—in fact, it may escalate the harm.
If You Become a Victim, It’s Not Your Fault Don’t struggle alone—talk to a trusted adult or a specialist organization.
In addition, the campaign will provide guidance on using Take It Down, a free and anonymous tool to prevent the spread of victimizing images. Take It Down works by converting the images into numerical codes (digital fingerprints) to help stop their redistribution on social media and across the web.
Comments from the Organizations
Saya Kurihara, Public Policy Department, Meta Japan
While sextortion among young people has become a serious issue overseas, including in the United States, this campaign was designed as a Japan-specific initiative in response to the domestic situation. We believe that ensuring the safe use of social media by children requires the cooperation of a wide range of stakeholders, including service providers, relevant government ministries, educational institutions, and parents. By collaborating with the NPO PAPS for this campaign, we were able to incorporate more concrete warnings and practical countermeasures.
Eri Uchida, Board Member, PAPS
Many children believe, “It won’t happen to me,” but sextortion and digital sexual violence are social issues that can affect anyone. When someone becomes a victim, it is never their fault, and understanding and proper support from those around them are essential. By partnering with Meta this time, we can share knowledge and preventive measures in various settings—including on social media platforms that many children actually use—so they can spend their time online safely and enjoyably. We see this as a major step toward protecting the future of children. We hope this campaign will help young people feel that they are “not alone.”
Help & Hotline
If you become a victim, report and block the offender’s account, and seek help immediately.
For details on how to block accounts, please visit: https://paps.jp/sextortion
For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact us via the inquiry form on our website.