World of Secrets - The Darkest Web: 1. Meeting a monster
Download The Darkest Web: 1. Meeting a monster
US Special Agents Greg Squire and Pete Manning work together to track down people who sexually abuse children and share images of their abuse online. They thought they knew what they were dealing with but they’ve just discovered they have no idea. In a prison in Amsterdam they meet a prolific paedophile, Robert Micklesons, who reveals to them the vast online world created by paedophiles to share images and video of child sexual abuse.
When they get back to the US they get an urgent call. A police officer in Denmark has found images of a girl in America who appears to have been sexually abused for six years. But no one has any idea where she is. Their job is to find her. But how will they do it?
Season 11 of World of Secrets, The Darkest Web, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service.
This podcast includes some upsetting scenes, discussions of child sexual abuse, and there’s some strong language.
For further information on the issues raised in the programme, contact support organisations in your own country. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support go to bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Reporter and Presenter: Sam Piranty
Writer and Producer: Annabel Deas
Script advice: Matt Willis
Sound design: Neil Churchill
Composer: Rob Lewis
Executive Producer: Rebecca Henschke
Commissioning Senior Producer: Sarah Green
Commissioning Editor: Jon Manel
Published on Monday, 16th February 2026.
Available Podcasts from World of Secrets
We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the World of Secrets webpage.