French authorities have dismantled a massive international pedophilia network operating on the encrypted messaging app Signal.

Over 95 individuals, aged 16 to 74, were arrested in France, with many already known for prior sexual offenses.

Investigators uncovered 375,000 photos and 156,000 videos, amounting to 217 terabytes of data.

The operation, conducted from December 9 to 19, 2024, revealed that over 16,000 people across 130 countries were involved.

Among those arrested were a youth association director, a sports educator, and a deputy mayor.

The investigation highlights the growing danger of online platforms in facilitating such crimes, as social media accelerates the spread of illegal content.