Sending nude selfies (sometimes known as Sexting) is when someone sends or recieves a sexually explict message through their mobile phone or webcam.
This maybe in the form of an image, text or a video and is sometimes called cybersex or sending a nudie.
Learn It: The Law
A young person is breaking the law if they:
Take an explicit photo or video of themselves or a friend
Share an explicit image or video of a child, even if shared between children of the same age
Possess, download or store an explicit image or video of a child, even if the child gave their permission for it to be created.
Learn It: The Police
From January 2016 in England and Wales, if a young person is found creating or sharing images, the police can choose to record that a crime has been committed but that taking formal action isn't in the public interest.
Crimes recorded this way are unlikely to appear on future records or checks, unless you have been involved in other similar activities which may indicate that you're at risk.
If you’re both under 18 and in a healthy relationship it’s unlikely that the police would want to take things further.
Learn It: Discussion
Discuss the following questions with the person next to you, then record your thoughts on a Notepad or Word document:
What might motivate someone to send a nude selfie to someone else?
What advice would you give a friend if they suggested they were considering sending a nude selfie to a boyfriend or girlfriend? Why would you say that?
What consequences might there be to sending a nude selfie?
What advice would you give to a friend who send a nude selfie to a boyfriend/girlfriend and is concerned it has been circulated around others in school?
Research It
The NSPCC have researched this area, and they estimate that between 15%-40% of young people have been involved in sexting.
Their research shows that issues most commonly come from sexting between peers
They found that young people are commonly coerced into sending nude selfies
Girls most adversely affected, and access to technology amplifies the problem
Ever younger children are being affected.
The NSPCC advise the "Grandma rule" when sending images of yourself:
Only send pictures to people that you'd be happy to show your grandma.
The NSPCC have produced a free app called 'Zipit' which comes with a number of humourous comeback lines that can be used in response to requests for nude selfies.
You can pick it up for iPhone here, or here for Android.
Learn It: Sent a nude selfie?
What should you do if you've sent a nude selfie and regretted it?
Read Charlotte's' true story here. She's a couple of years older than you, but her story is relevant.
How did Charlotte get started with sexting?
What problems did it cause her?
How could she have handled the situation differently?
Read the Childline page on Sexting], and answer the following questions:
What should you do if an image of you appears on Social Media?
Who do Childline work with to have images and videos removed?
Is sexting illegal?
What can you do if someone is pressuring you to provide explicit photos?
What about if you suspect that person is an adult?