The Dark Side of Fame: College Athletes’ Social Media Exposure Exposes Them to Exploitation

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have partnered to educate college athletes about preventing private images from falling into the wrong hands. This collaboration comes at a time when social media has amplified the online presence of college athletes, making them targets for sexual exploitation.

The increased visibility of college athletes can be attributed to name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, which allow athletes to profit from their fame but also make them more vulnerable to predators. Student-athletes maintain large public-facing social media followings, increasing both their exposure to targeting and the perceived leverage an offender has when threatening to expose an athlete.

The tactics used by those who exploit college athletes are often sophisticated and insidious. They may con athletes into sharing private images or hack into personal accounts to steal content. Once in possession of explicit photos or videos, perpetrators use them to extort athletes under threat of making the images public. This can lead to harassment, sextortion, stalking, or even advertising stolen content on the victim’s own social media page.

The statistics on online sexual exploitation are alarming. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 75,000 submissions regarding sextortion. While neither the NCAA nor FBI has specific numbers for college athletes who have reported being victims of sextortion, cyber expert Taushiana Bright notes that this is a growing concern.

The partnership between the NCAA and FBI aims to educate athletes on how to prevent exploitation and provide them with access to law enforcement, tools to report possible criminal behavior, victim services, and mental health treatment. However, addressing online sexual exploitation requires a more comprehensive approach that addresses its root causes.

The way we normalize social media use among college athletes may contribute to the problem. While NIL deals can be beneficial for financial stability, they also create an environment where private lives are constantly under scrutiny. Coaches and athletic department leadership must educate athletes on how to navigate this complex landscape.

The case of Jordan DeMay, a high school football and basketball player who died by suicide after being extorted online, highlights the devastating consequences of online exploitation. His story underscores the importance of addressing mental health impacts of social media use among young people.

Preventing online sexual exploitation requires education, awareness, and support. The NCAA and FBI’s partnership is an important step in this direction, but it is just one part of a larger conversation about the dark side of fame and the consequences of our increasing reliance on social media.