Pedophiles found using Facebook to trade child pornography

NOTE: This article was originally published in USA Today.

Facebook has become a den for pedophiles.

The popular social network is home to at least 19 child pornography groups and even more predator profiles, uncovered in WND's exposé of the "dark underbelly of Facebook."

Despite Facebook's efforts to censor illegal images, pedophiles are using the network to trade graphic images of children, infants and toddlers forced to have sex with each other, being raped by adults or forced to expose their genitals to the camera, WND reports.

Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes says:

"Nothing is more important to Facebook than the safety of the people that use our site and this material has absolutely no place on Facebook. We have zero tolerance for child pornography being uploaded onto Facebook" ... "We feel we've created a much safer environment on Facebook than exists off-line, where people can share this disgusting material in the privacy of their own homes without anyone watching."

Nineteen groups were uncovered including: Kidsex Young, Young Gay Pics, Love Little Kids and Nude Teens.

Raymond Bechard, co-founder of the website Stop Child Porn on Facebook, told WND that child-pornography traders are profiting from posting links on Facebook to their outside video galleries.

"Many of these guys have hidden galleries and links to videos they have or have taken," he said. "That's the real money for them, in the videos."