Social media apps and websites have implemented strategies to fight against inappropriate behavior online, but it's nearly impossible to keep people from creating new accounts to target victims. Wayne Brady and his ex-wife, Mandie, have kept their keen eyes on their 17-year-old daughter Maile Brady's social media use, and they've noticed that grown men have been sliding into her DMs with improper messages. He discussed an incident his ex-wife recently had to deal with when appearing on The Talk.
"Mandie monitors Maile's Instagram and social media because even when she's near-grown—'cause she'll be 18 in February, you are still a child, so we have to monitor that," he said. "And these grown men see her dancing and whatnot, and they just slid in. Mandie got on the line with one of them and was, you know, texting back and forth and he was talking slick until he realized that it was Mandie. And then she's like what the hell are you doing? And he's like, 'Oh, I just broke up with my girlfriend, and I just saw her.'"
That was an unacceptable answer for the protective father. "That doesn't mean anything. You tell that to yourself when we put you in jail," Brady added. "You can talk all about your post-breakup relationship then." The actor said he's "very passionate about" protecting children on the internet and is "going to start working on an initiative."
"I think the social media, Instagram, Facebook—I love you all, but you need to be on it." Brady recognizes that there are ways to report harassment or bullying and users can be blocked, but he believes that until there are real consequences for actions, the behavior will just continue. Check out Brady's appearance on The Talk below.