A survivor of child sexual abuse is pleading with Elon Musk to take stronger action after links to images of her abuse resurfaced on his social media platform, X.
“Hearing that my abuse — and the abuse of so many others — is still being circulated and commodified here is infuriating,” said “Zora” (not her real name), who lives in the United States and was first abused more than 20 years ago.
“Every time someone sells or shares child abuse material, they directly fuel the original, horrific abuse.”
X maintains it has “zero tolerance for child sexual abuse material” and insists tackling child exploitation remains a top priority.
BBC Investigation Uncovers Global Trade
As part of an investigation into the billion-dollar child sexual abuse material (CSAM) trade, the BBC discovered images of Zora among a trove of content being sold on X.
The content was advertised through accounts linking to Telegram, where traders offered “VIP packages” of photos and videos. One account was traced to a bank account in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Zora’s images, once confined to the dark web, are now openly promoted on mainstream social platforms. Her abuse began with a family member, whose prosecution came too late to stop the footage from spreading globally.
“My body is not a commodity. It never has been, and it never will be,” Zora said. “Those who distribute this material are not passive bystanders — they are complicit perpetrators.”
Anonymous Hackers Track Abusers
The hacker collective Anonymous has been monitoring accounts on X that market CSAM. One activist told the BBC that despite repeated account removals, traders quickly return under new identities.
“They’re running over a hundred nearly identical accounts,” he said. Messages seen by the BBC show one trader boasting: “I have baby. Kids young 7-12.” Some content included videos of child rape.
To verify the scale, the BBC contacted the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (CCCP), which works with law enforcement. Experts confirmed that files shared through Telegram appeared to contain thousands of images across multiple victims, including Zora.
Victims Face Lifelong Trauma
Although her abuser was imprisoned years ago, Zora continues to face threats and harassment from stalkers who discovered her identity.
“I have tried over the years to overcome my past and not let it determine my future, but perpetrators and stalkers still find a way to view this filth,” she said.
She described feeling “bullied over a crime that robbed me of my childhood.”
Tracing the Jakarta Trader
BBC reporters posed as buyers to track the Indonesian trader. He provided bank details and an online payment account linked to a man outside Jakarta.
When confronted, the man denied involvement, claiming his bank account had only been used for a mortgage transaction. He expressed shock at the allegations and said he would contact his bank.
The investigation underscores how global CSAM networks exploit mainstream platforms like X, masking illegal activity under coded hashtags and cropped images.
Platforms Respond
When Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022 — later rebranded as X — he declared removing child sexual abuse material his “top priority.”
X reiterated to the BBC that it has “zero tolerance” for child sexual exploitation and continues to invest in advanced detection systems while collaborating with the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Telegram, where much of the trade is coordinated, said it has banned more than 565,000 CSAM-related groups and employs over 1,000 moderators.
But experts argue far more is needed. “It’s great that we can send takedown notices and they remove the account — but that’s the bare minimum,” said Lloyd Richardson of the CCCP. “The problem is offenders just come back a few days later.”
A Plea to Musk
Learning her images were once again being shared on X, Zora directed her appeal at the platform’s owner:
“Our abuse is being shared, traded, and sold on the app you own. If you would act without hesitation to protect your own children, I beg you to do the same for the rest of us. The time to act is now.”