Someone on OH2 posted a summary of a news story that sounded like this was primarily directed at guys knowingly soliciting minors. I believe only a handful were charged with that specific act, but it was characterized by one of the authorities as an effort to curb that type of activity.
That might explain the connection with social media. Some of the charges were for the lesser charge of solicitation of a minor (10 years max sentence), and one was solicitation of prostitution of a minor (20 years max sentence). Money may not have been offered in some cases, but one guy did.