Twitter – see the WLC Facebook page for more information on how to approach this delicate subject
Sharing nude or nearly nude selfies is commonly known as sexting. Young people may see this behaviour as normal, and not be aware of the dangers of losing control of an image once it is posted online.
Many young people are also unaware of the potentially criminal consequences for sharing indecent images. Beyond the legal issues, being associated with such material can also have a far reaching impact on future education and employment opportunities.
However, the message: ‘what goes online, stays online’ does not tell the whole story. While it can be very difficult to get images that have been copied and shared many times over entirely removed from the Web, it is still worth seeking help in the event that a child you care for has made a mistake with sexting.
All of the major social media companies have a policy of removing indecent images from their platforms, and the Police can take action against those distributing images of minors.
See: Think U know and Parent Info for more guidance on sexting, and how to deal with it.
