New initiative by ChildLine and the Internet Watch Foundation in relation to “sexting.” This partnership follows a ChildLine survey of 13-18 year olds which found that young people are often taking significant risks by making and sending sexual images of themselves on the internet or through mobile phones. The partnership with IWF means that ChildLine can help young people verify their age before logging a complaint to get an image removed swiftly and efficiently.
ChildLine has also developed an app for young people, which is designed to help them diffuse pressures on them to send an explicit image. The app, called Zipit, offers witty images to send instead of explicit ones and provides advice on how to engage in safe chat and what to do if you are threatened. The app will be available later this month.
The NSPCC is complementing the ChildLine initiative by providing advice to parents and carers on what they can do to advise and support their children in relation to “sexting.” Many children and young people are more savvy about internet and mobile phone technology than their parents, so the advice, posted on the NSPCC website, will enable parents to take action.