Skout Is Rethinking Business Model After 3 Underage Rape Cases

The team behind Skout spent three years building the app and now the model could change completely because of the way criminals have been using it. Several minors said that they were raped after meeting with strangers through the app. “One case is too many,” stated Skout founder Christian Wiklund. “When you have three, it looks like a pattern. This is my worst fear.”

The three cases involved children under 15 years old:
- 24 year old man raped a 12 year old girl
- 37 year old man raped a 15 year old girl
- 21 year old man sexually assaulted a 13 year old boy

These three men posed as teenagers in Skout’s forums that was designed for 13-17 year olds. Skout suspended the service for minors.

Skout raised $22 million from Andreessen Howoritz. Andreessen Horowitz is still backing Skout despite the problems that have happened.

Skout claims that they “prescreen” the exchange of photos by the users. Skout did not say whether they noticed the nude photos that were exchanged between one of the cases.