Recently, my middle schooler returned home with some eye-opening news: a few classmates were chatting about making cash by selling pictures of their feet over the internet. At first, I thought he must have misheard them.
“They said that creepy people buy the pictures, but they don’t mind since they earn five bucks for each photo or video. Some are racking up $25 a week!” It seems he understood the conversation perfectly.
“How are they getting paid?” I asked, curious. He shrugged his shoulders.
“If they’re getting paid, they might be entering personal info on a website or even sharing their address. That’s risky. Are they selling pictures of other body parts?” I probed further.
“No, gross,” he replied. “They know better than to send private photos, Mom. Adults are always warning us about that.” Yet they think selling foot pics to “creepy people” is acceptable?
A quick Google search for “money for foot photos” revealed a plethora of websites. One YouTube video on the subject had nearly two million views, along with a flood of comments.
One website offered tips for selling foot photos: “Not showing your face might hurt you. No one wants just feet without a face. You can’t satisfy them only 50% and expect them to be happy. Your face is crucial. I know it’s scary to think about privacy, but trust me, it’s essential for your career. You can hide your identity by wearing makeup, props like wigs, or even glasses.” They even suggested wearing a mask—not the Halloween kind, of course.
Another site mentioned payments via PayPal, Skrill, or gift cards. Before rushing to contact the school principal, I decided to reach out to a friend in law enforcement who has two teenage sons. Surprisingly, she discovered that her son knew several girls who sell pictures of hands, feet, and even ears online through social media and dating apps.
My son, husband, and I had a serious discussion about privacy, online safety, and the potential dangers of engaging with strangers online. Later, I came across an article detailing a woman’s harrowing experience while posing as an eleven-year-old girl online. It was disturbing and explicit.
The old adage from my parents was “beware the guy in the panel van.” Today, the real threat to our children lies in the online world. So how do we protect our kids? While nothing is foolproof, maintaining open communication is vital. We use various tools that help monitor our son’s online activities, such as alerts for app downloads and parental controls on our router. Our devices are password-protected, but the most crucial step is to stay engaged, watch for warning signs, and educate our children on the risks of technology.
If minors are selling pictures of their body parts or encountering explicit content on social media, we must take a hard look at our parenting. Many schools offer programs to educate parents and kids about internet safety; we need to attend these and have ongoing conversations with our children.
We can’t afford to underestimate the potential dangers of technology and its impact on our kids. It’s our duty to ensure their safety, privacy, and security.
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In summary, as parents, we must remain vigilant about the online activities of our children. Open communication, monitoring tools, and education about internet safety are essential in protecting them from potential risks.