Disturbing childlike sex dolls are being promoted for sale on Facebook, resembling kids with over 1,300 ads appearing on the platform. These dolls exhibit highly realistic features resembling children, often depicted in sexualized poses, some even holding balloons or teddy bears. The National Crime Agency has raised concerns, stating that these lifelike dolls present a significant risk to children. A former police officer commented that individuals purchasing these dolls should be subject to police scrutiny.
Despite violating Meta’s guidelines, advertisements for these dolls were prevalent, with Meta profiting from each new publication. The discovery was a result of a collaborative investigation by the Sunday Mirror and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. A Meta spokesperson emphasized the removal of such inappropriate content once identified.
Although owning childlike sex dolls is not a criminal offense in the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service advises that importing, selling, or sending them through the mail could constitute illegal activities. One particular website has been actively using Facebook ads to market these dolls.
An examination uncovered six Facebook pages administered from various locations, including Poland, Indonesia, India, and undisclosed places. These pages exclusively showcase ads for sex dolls and have accumulated over 600 followers collectively. New advertisements are posted daily, some remaining visible for weeks.
The investigation identified around 20 ads published since November 2024 that were still present in Meta’s ad library, indicating evasion of the platform’s removal procedures. Notably, several ads were active on the platform just last week. One disturbing complaint on Facebook highlighted a user dissatisfied with the realism of their doll’s finger joints.
One website offers a “mini sex doll” resembling a young child for £266, asserting that these dolls are not illegal as they differ significantly from child sex dolls despite their appearance. When inquiring about purchasing a mini doll and potential customs issues, the website responded that many UK clients had bought multiple dolls from them.
Jim Gamble, a former police officer and CEO of the Ineqe Safeguarding Group, expressed strong opposition to the purchase of such objects for fantasizing about child-related activities. He emphasized the potential risk individuals pose by engaging in such behavior.
Recently, a man from Romford, London, faced legal repercussions for importing a sex doll and other offenses involving indecent images, receiving an 18-month community order. Countries like Australia, Germany, Norway, and Denmark have criminalized the possession of similar dolls. Meta’s regulations prohibit the promotion of adult sexual arousal products.
The National Crime Agency condemned the use of childlike sex dolls, emphasizing that there is no valid reason for owning such items and that individuals purchasing them pose a substantial risk to children. They vowed to investigate importation attempts of these products to safeguard children.