Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Police issue sexting warning
Parents could be prosecuted over children’s use of explicit images
Parents could be prosecuted if their children take explicit photographs or videos of themselves or anyone else aged under 18.
Police have issued the warning amid a growing trend of sexual images being shared with large groups of people on social media sites.
The say so-called ‘bait out’ pages are being set up to encourage young people to share images and get involved in sexual gossip and bullying.
Kent Police Supt Susie Harper said: “If a child’s mobile phone contract is in his or her parent’s name, then the parent can be liable for what the phone is used for, and any indecent material that is saved or sent from it.
“That could mean police turning up at the family home with a search warrant, property being seized, potential arrests and innocent people being suspected of serious offences.
“I’m not raising awareness to scaremonger, and our first priority is to safeguard young people and protect them from harm, and there are many places we can signpost then to for independent help and advice.
“I also think it’s important for parents to be aware about the ways their children might be vulnerable to these things, and what they can do about it.”
Police say children in Kent are at risk of having indecent images or information about them being widely circulated online.
This can be due to an increase in ‘ self- generated indecent images’, images that may have been taken by young people as a result of sexting or sharing nude selfies between friends or as part of a relationship.
The police say sexting can be seen by young people as harmless, but creating or sharing indecent images of a child below the age of 18 is illegal, even if the person doing it is themselves a child, and they could get a criminal record.
Kent police adds that it does not wish to unnecessarily criminalise young people, but it could potentially affect a child’s reputation, education and future employment prospects if they were named on a crime report or received a caution or other criminal sanction.
They warned that taking, sharing or receiving these images could also have a long-lasting impact on a child’s emotional health and wellbeing – causing emotional distress, an increased risk of them receiving negative comments and bullying, and putting them at risk of abuse and exploitation.
Police youth engagement officers will be liaising with schools to raise awareness of the consequences of taking, sharing and receiving nude images of other young people, and to publicise sources of support.
Officers are also encouraging parents and carers to speak to their children about the possible consequences of taking and sharing nude images of themselves and other young people.
Supt Harper added: “I appreciate this is a very sensitive issue, but there are a number of places where they can get expert advice on talking to their children about these issues, including the Kent Police website.”