‘They treat men like vending machines’: Inside the hidden world of social media sperm selling

Social media platforms host a growing number of unregulated groups where women and couples seek sperm donors, driven by the high costs and lengthy delays associated with official fertility clinics. These online communities, such as Sperm Donors UK and Start a Family Here, offer a seemingly straightforward but dangerous alternative to legal sperm banks. The unregulated nature of these groups exposes users to significant risks. Stories emerge of donors demanding inappropriate favors or coercing women into sexual intercourse, which is falsely claimed to be more effective for conception than artificial insemination. Women desperate to conceive can be pressured into compromising their boundaries. These platforms are also attracting very young women, some as young as 18, who may be ill-prepared for the complexities of such arrangements. They are sometimes characterized as immature and selfish, with some exhibiting signs of mental health issues and using pregnancy as a means to cope with personal trauma. Donors are often older, leading to a power imbalance where they can potentially exploit younger recipients. The ease with which these groups can be discovered through social media algorithms, coupled with a lack of oversight, creates an environment ripe for exploitation and abuse, including the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and genetic disorders. The consequences of these ad hoc arrangements can extend to legal battles, with donors seeking parental rights or access to children they have fathered. This situation creates a "horror story" for women who believed they were entering into simple donation agreements. The anonymity and lack of regulation mean tha... download the app to read more