Children under 18 who want nude pictures or videos of themselves removed from the internet can now report the images through a new online tool.
The tool is a concept created by the Internet Watch Foundation and Childline (IWF) and aims to help children who have compromising images of themselves online to have them removed.
The application can also be used to report an image or video that has already appeared online by sharing the URL (uniform resource locator).
Using that, the IWF will then analyse the material and remove it if it breaks the law.
“We know that every time an image or video of child sexual abuse is viewed, the victim suffers repeat victimisation.
“We’re here to stop that and you can help. If you accidentally see child sexual abuse images online, don’t look away. Report anonymously to http://iwf.org.uk,” IWF posted on Twitter.
When nudes are shared, it is always devastating for the victim. @NSPCC Childline + @IWFhotline have set up a new service for U18s to report nude pictures that have been shared or may be shared.
— Faye White (@fayecwhite) June 22, 2021
Share this TikTok with a young person in your life, it may prevent a lot of worry pic.twitter.com/upELSIFhmg
According to the BBC, the IWF has in recent years noticed an increase of nude images created by children themselves.
Self-generated images more than doubled in the first three months of this year, compared with the same period last year.
The Argus UK newspaper quoted IWF chief executive Susie Hargreaves as saying the tool would help give young people back control.
“Once those images are out there, it can be an incredibly lonely place for victims, and it can seem hopeless. It can also be frightening, not knowing who may have access to these images,” Hargreaves said.
“This tool is a world first. It will give young people the power, and the confidence, to reclaim these images and make sure they do not fall into the wrong hands online.”
Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the IWF, said the tool would give young people the power and confidence to reclaim the images and make sure they do not fall into the wrong hands online. Read more here 👇https://t.co/AAT0OJFi76
— Internet Watch Foundation (@IWFhotline) June 22, 2021