Those under 18 who fear nude photos and videos may end up online can now report the material using a new tool to prevent it from being uploaded in the future.
Young people can report such content to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) charity through a tool on the NSPCC’s Childline website before it appears online.
The report deletion tool has been described by the IWF as a “world first”.
IWF analysts will then review the content and create a unique digital fingerprint known as a hash, before sharing it with tech companies to prevent it from being uploaded and shared.
Images and videos that have already appeared online can also be flagged by sharing the URL, with analysts then rating the material and working to remove it if it breaks the law.
Young people should verify their age but can remain anonymous with Childline or the IWF – and anyone who makes a report should receive feedback on the outcome within one working day.
Reports of self-generated images have more than doubled in the first three months of this year, compared to the same period last year, according to the IWF.
A young person may have shared a sexual image with a partner which is then shared without their consent, while others may have been harassed or blackmailed online.
IWF Executive Director Susie Hargreaves says the tool will help put young people back in control.
She said: “Once these images are released, it can be an incredibly lonely place for victims, and it can seem hopeless. It can also be scary not knowing who can have access to these images.
“This tool is a world first. It will give young people the power and confidence to retrieve these images and make sure they don’t fall into the wrong hands online.
Childline Online service manager Cormac Nolan said young people don’t have to face it alone if they find out that a nude image of them has been posted online.
He said: “The impact of having a nude image shared on the internet cannot be …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-22 07:40:00