Think Before You Share is a campaign from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). Registered Charity No: 1112398
Worried about what your children are sharing online? Get help to talk about it with guidance from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
Kids today are sharing nude images online – with people they know, and people they don’t.
If your kid hasn’t shared, you can bet they know someone who has.
To keep your kids safe, you need to talk about it.
Teens are sharing images for all kinds of reasons. In a safe relationship, sharing can be a means of exploring their sexuality, and building trust.
But there’s also a lot of social pressure – and both girls and boys are sharing nudes, even when it feels wrong.
Regardless of the reason, it is worth remembering that it is illegal to share nude images of anyone under the age of 18, and the consequences of sharing could be devastating for young people.
Images being shared in confidence are routinely being ‘leaked’, and shared more widely across peer groups. This can lead to bullying and shaming.
Some teens (mostly boys) are even engaging in ‘collecting’ behaviours – collecting nude images like they would football cards. This behaviour isn’t just wrong. If the nudes are of someone under 18, it’s illegal.
1 in 10 children aged 10-15 have spoken to a stranger online, warns the Internet Watch Foundation. This opens the door to grooming and abuse. Groomers get to know them, befriend them, and then pressure, manipulate and deceive in order to get them to share sexually explicit images.
If you think your child is a victim of online grooming, call 999 – and report it straight away.
Talking to your kids about nudes is awkward. And as parents, our protective instincts can lead us to get angry, or emotional. Find a calm moment and open a conversation – perhaps with a non-targeted question, such as:
The most important thing is to listen, and avoid any judgement or blame. Ultimately, you know your kids best.
If your child lets you know that they’ve shared nudes, try to stay calm and come up with a plan of action together.
That way you can make them feel more empowered, and less alone.
If their images are being shared by their peers, an action plan might look like this:
If you think your child might be in danger, call 999 straight away.
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A campaign from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
Think Before You Share is a campaign from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). Registered Charity No: 1112398
