Five things parents need to know about dangers of children sharing 'intimate' pictures

A new campaign warning children and their parents about the dangers of sharing 'intimate' images has been launched by Cleveland Police.

The force has enlisted the help of head teachers across the area as they seek to detail the risks of sending the pictures via mobile phones or posting them on social media.

Detectives have been made aware of online sites containing still and moving images of, in some cases, underage children, apparently created with the consent of those pictured.

Here The Gazette lists five warnings from the campaign.

1. It is illegal for a person under the age of 18 to TAKE an indecent image of themselves

Det Ch Supt Darren Best said: "It is illegal for under-18s to take or share an “indecent” picture of themselves or to look at or share someone else's."

2. Indecent images DO NOT have to be naked pictures

"The internet is a public place and if people do something embarrassing or criminal on one of our high streets, they would expect people to see them and potentially for consequences to follow," Det Ch Supt Best added. "Exactly the same is true of the internet."

3. There are new laws on 'revenge porn'

New legislation means that people could face two years’ imprisonment for posting intimate images or moving footage of their former partner on social media or in text messages.

4. Protecting individuals whose pictures are published can be problematic

Det Sgt Iain Pearson said: "Many websites which feature intimate images are based overseas so it can often be very difficult to protect people or to follow up prosecutions."

5. Teesside youngsters have been caught up in this issue

“[Cleveland Police] has been contacted by over half a dozen young women and girls in recent months reporting that images of them were present on various sites, without their permission," Det Sgt Iain Pearson said.

*Advice has been uploaded to the Cleveland Police website here and young people and their parents or carers who are often uncertain or misinformed about the matter are invited to learn more about the issue, the law and how to protect themselves.