By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
New Campaign to Warn Children About Sharing Explicit Content
A new campaign has been launched to warn children about the dangers of sharing sexually explicit images and videos, urging parents and young people to openly discuss these issues. The Cambridgeshire based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) highlighted that the sharing and soliciting of nudes is becoming 'normalised' among young people. The Think Before You Share campaign aims to encourage young people, parents, and teachers to overcome their embarrassment and talk about these important issues.
Research Highlights Digital Age Challenges
The IWF collaborated with researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge and Chelmsford, who interviewed hundreds of young people about their digital experiences. The nationwide campaign is supported by research from the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI) at ARU. The study involved 307 young people who shared their experiences of growing up in a digital world, revealing that receiving unwanted sexual images has become normalized and part of their lives. Apps like Snapchat and TikTok were identified as platforms where perpetrators groom children into sharing sexual images.
Addressing 'Football Card Collection' Culture
The research also uncovered that groups of pupils, primarily boys, are engaging in a 'football card collection culture' of nudes of their female peers. Prof Samantha Lundrigan, director of IPPPRI, emphasized the importance of discussing this issue with young people quickly. She stated that as smartphones and the internet are here to stay, it's crucial to integrate these conversations into education and daily awareness. Parents and teachers must also become aware of the available tools and guidance to help report nude images online and understand how offenders reach young people through everyday platforms.
Combatting Online Threats and Extortion
Susie Hargreaves OBE, chief executive of the IWF, noted the alarming increase in child sexual abuse imagery on the internet, with criminals harvesting imagery to meet the demand. She stressed that children facing online threats from criminals attempting to extort money or images can take steps to have the imagery removed or blocked before it is uploaded. The Report Remove service, run by the IWF and Childline, enables young people to stop their images from being shared online and take action against sexual extortion threats. The campaign includes videos on TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat, using suggestive imagery to convey the message to young people, while parents and carers are targeted through social media, radio, and podcast ads featuring comedian Diane Morgan.