Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis is encouraging youngsters across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to download an innovative ‘anti-sexting’ mobile app to help them stay safe online.
The mobile app, called ‘Zipit’, has been developed by the charity ChildLine and provides tools for children to use to diffuse the pressures to send explicit images.
Matthew Ellis said: “The world is changing fast in terms of technology and social networking. But so is crime, including online abuse. Keeping children safe from predatory sex pests is the prime responsibility of families but Authorities have a big part to play too.”
The app offers images to send to counter sexting requests, and to discourage any further communication. It also includes advice on how to engage in safe chat, what to do if you feel threatened or if an image becomes public.
The sharing of self-generated sexually explicit images or videos by mobile phone or online, labelled as ‘sexting’, is common amongst young people. Shockingly, 60 per cent of the young people questioned by ChildLine in 2013 said they had been asked for a sexual image or video of themselves, and over half of the young people surveyed said they had received a sexual photo or video with a third receiving them from a stranger.
Whilst most said the image went to a boyfriend or girlfriend, a third said they sent it to someone they met online but didn’t know in real life and 15 per cent said they had sent it to a total stranger.
Mr Ellis continued: “Many young people think that sexting is harmless, but once the picture is sent it’s out of their control and they can’t get it back.
“This type of app is innovative as it provides young people with a tool to help them deal with the pressure to sext. I’d urge that young people across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent download the app.”
In 2013, ChildLine and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) joined forces to ensure young people of 17 years and under know where to turn to get sexually explicit images removed from online – information of which can be found at https://www.iwf.org.uk/hotline/report-process
The app can be downloaded from http://www.childline.org.uk/Play/GetInvolved/Pages/sexting-zipit-app.aspx
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