When this podcast project began, I knew right away I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to join a team that was raising awareness and doing something about a crisis most people still don’t understand. But once we dug in, admittedly it got uncomfortable, disturbing, even.
The proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online represents the darkest depths of human depravity, from the abusers themselves to those who enable it. This profit-driven online ecosystem is failing children. It’s failing survivors. And it’s failing the people fighting for change every single day.
Going through the interview transcripts of survivors who bravely shared their stories shook me. Sitting in the room as police officers, who had to witness this material online in order to stop it, recounted their experiences was harrowing.
I’ll never forget the moment Officer Janelle Blackadar of the Toronto Police Service vulnerably described a case where they successfully rescued a young boy being abused live online. “We convicted, I think, 15 people,” she recalled. Just hearing that sentence made my stomach turn. I don’t know the boy’s name, and we were spared the details of his abuse, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him.
We spent months tracking down key players, hearing their stories and pushing for accountability from major tech and social media companies. What we found helps explain exactly why this issue continues to persist.
Our team of reporters and producers poured their hearts into this project. We created something raw and real, but still listenable, even bingeable. And honestly, my biggest fear going into this was that people wouldn’t want to hear it. That it would feel too heavy. Too much.
But it’s the strength and passion of the survivors, alongside some of the most influential voices in law enforcement, academia and legal advocacy, that make this podcast so powerful and compelling.
Despite the disturbing subject matter and the seemingly insurmountable power of big tech, Arachnid is not hopeless or bleak.
It’s challenging. It’s gripping. It’s awe-inspiring. It’s necessary.
Whether it’s heard by tens or by millions, this is a story that needed to be told.
Our team from the Investigative Journalism Bureau, TVO, PizGloria Productions and the Toronto Star masterfully wove together a project I believe is world-class. Arachnid: Hunting the Web’s Darkest Secrets is a testament to that.
I hope you’ll listen.
Wendy-Ann Clarke
Investigative Reporter, Investigative Journalism Bureau
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