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Blogger: Pedophile ring abuses YouTube by using videos of young girls

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Seemingly innocent videos on YouTube may be targeted by a so-called soft-core pedophilia ring, a blogger claimed.

The blogger said the ring has exploited the videos, making suggestive comments and highlights where girls may be in compromising positions.

“YouTube is facilitating the sexual exploitation of children, and it's being monetized,” blogger Matt Watson said.

Watson, himself, made a video to raise awareness.

The ring takes videos posted by young girls or their families and reposts them, Watson said.

[Symbol for pedophiles seems to appear on children's toys sold at Monster Jam]

A viewer will watch the video and YouTube will suggest other similar videos, producing dozens more, he said.

"Two clicks,” Watson said. “I am now in the wormhole. Now that I've clicked on this -- look at this sidebar -- there is nothing but little girls."

In the comments, members of the ring will add a link to click that will bring the viewer back to the video when the girls are in inappropriate positions, according to Watson.

Another tactic used is creating challenges, which encourage children to send in videos of themselves.

"This is working in pedophiles’ favor,” Watson said. “They're flaunting the fact that YouTube is doing nothing about this."

Several companies are pulling ads from YouTube, including Nestle and Epic Games, which makes Fortnite.

Some reports said Disney is removing ads from the website.

YouTube said it took "immediate action by deleting accounts and channels, reporting illegal activity to authorities and disabling comments on tens of millions of videos that include minors."