Help is available, NI teens tricked into sending indecent images told
AN INTERNET safety expert has told teenage boys who may have been duped into sending indecent images of themselves to a fake Instagram account that support is available.
Jim Gamble of the online safeguarding group Ineqe spoke out after the PSNI said a number of youths in the Carrickfergus area had been contacted and asked to send photos of themselves.
The PSNI confirmed that the profile picture used for this account was a stock image taken from another website and urged anyone who had been in contact with the Instagram account to comeforward.
Officers also asked parents
Appeal: Jim Gamble
to talk to their children and to explain the risks involved with accepting friend requests from strangers online.
Mr Gamble, whose company specialises in safeguarding and child protection, said: “These accounts are all over the place and people need to have a heightened awareness of them.
“There is a real danger in sharing an image, because once it has been sent, you can lose control over it.
“The difficulty here is what the intent behind this account set up is.”
Mr Gamble stressed the PSNI was supportive of people caught up in these situations and encouraged anyone who may have sent a photo to this account not to panic.
He said: “Don’t think all hope is lost. We have all made mistakes,andmanyofuswerelucky whenwewereyoungerthatthese apps were not readily available to us.
“This can happen to a lot of people. The sooner you ask for help, the greater opportunity there is to take the photo down. Talk to someone you trust. The worst thing you can do is sit and worry.”
Mr Gamble has advised parents to take the time to sit down and talk to their children, saying: “Plant seeds in the child’s mind, so they know they can ask someone for help.
“A stock picture captured from somewhere online can be used like a fishing lure.”
The former senior police officer added: “We cannot rule out that it might be vigilante hunters, which is difficult as they could be inciting others to commit crime. It is a complicated area.”
A spokesperson for the children’s charity NSPCC NI said: “Children and young people now live so much of their lives online and while we know that this can
❝ The rise in the selfie culture could see more young people putting themselves at greater risk
provide great benefits via opportunities for learning and socialising, it also presents a number of risks.
“By using smart phones and tablets many young people are exploring the online world behind closed doors, making it ever more difficult for parents to know what their children are doing.
“And the rise in the ‘selfie’ culture and use of social media could also see more young people putting themselves at greater risk of bullying, sexual exploitation and grooming by online predators.
“We would urge parents to educate themselves about the potential dangers online so they can talk to their children.
“The NSPCC has a wealth of information and guidance on how to talk to children about the internet, including how to tackle conversations about sexting, avoiding sharing personal information and not putting themselves at risk of harm.”