Let’s not forget about the 5,200 Pentagon employees caught with *c *orn on their computers

**Operation Flicker** was an investigation launched by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that focused on identifying individuals involved in accessing and downloading child pornography online. The operation uncovered over 5,000 individuals, including U.S. military personnel and defense contractors, who were subscribing to websites that distributed child pornography.

A key aspect of the investigation was its connection to members of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Some of the individuals identified had high-level security clearances and used government or military computers to access illegal content. The investigation raised serious concerns about the potential risks these individuals posed to national security, particularly the vulnerability to blackmail and system compromises .

Despite these findings, not all cases resulted in prosecution. Some investigations were dropped due to insufficient evidence, while others were closed when suspects fled the country. The operation highlighted a disturbing issue within government ranks and the broader challenge of preventing child exploitation in high-security environments .

This operation exposed the broader problem of child exploitation and the involvement of people in positions of trust, underscoring the need for vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable populations.