Bagets: Facebook Search Leads to Child Sex Abuse Warning

Bagets is a Filipino word for a teenager or tween. Searching the word of Facebook results in a warning regarding child sexual abuse.

Prior to the warning message appearing, multiple users on social media complained that the term returned images and videos of child pornography. The term is still searchable on Twitter. The term returns graphic sexual content.

Posts alleging the Facebook search was being used to promote child sexual abuse began appearing on August 29. Heavy has reached out to Facebook for comment.

A Facebook Disclaimer Begins With: ‘We Think Your Search Might Be Associated With Child Sexual Abuse’

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Typing the word into Facebook’s search bar retrieves this disclaimer:

We think your search might be associated with child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse, or viewing sexual images or videos of children, can lead to imprisonment and other severe personal consequences. Child sexual exploitation causes extreme harm to children. Searching for and viewing abusive and exploitive material adds to that harm.

There are organizations that can provide help and support if you’re having sexual thoughts about children. If you see this kind of activity on Facebook, report it to us and law enforcement. If you’ve experienced child abuse, please consider reaching out to a helpline, friend or trusted adult for support.

According to a 2014 Buzzfeed article, “”Bagets” is a word used to refer to youths or tweens.”

Bagets is also the title of a two-part Filipino movie series about a group of teenagers in high school.

Facebook Has Come Under Criticism Over its Response to the Banning of the Hashtag ‘Save the Children’

Facebook has come under criticism recently following the disabling of posts that showed child abuse and were accompanied with the hashtag “SavetheChildren.” A Facebook statement on the controversy said, “We temporarily blocked the hashtag as it was surfacing low-quality content. The hashtag has since been restored, and we will continue to monitor for content that violates our Community Standards.”

The New York Times’ Kevin Roose wrote in August 2020 that “QAnon Followers Are Hijacking #SaveTheChildren Movement.” Roose wrote that QAnon followers believed that President Donald Trump “was on the verge of exposing “Pizzagate” or “Pedogate.” The followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory believe that an international child sex trafficking ring is “led by prominent Democrats,” Roose wrote.

On August 30, ABC Denver reported that signs at a Save Our Children rally in the city contained signs that “alleged prominent Democratic politicians are engaged in a secret pedophile ring.” One of the organizers of the event denied links between the rally and QAnon. Although one protester was quoted as saying that it was possible the rally had ties to QAnon. On the weekend that the controversy involving the Baget search term appeared, Save Our Children rallies were held across the country.

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Save the Children is a humanitarian organization that helps children around the world. It was founded by Bill and Melinda Gates. Unverified reports have linked Bill Gates with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

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