PARENTS across York are being urged to follow a campaign aimed at increasing awareness of the perils their children face online.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) scheduled a six-part series this summer drawing parents’ attention to threats and exploitation facing children when they are online.

This week a video short highlights the worries of a young person being blackmailed over self-generated sexual images.

Taken from text of an actual call to a Childline counsellors, the 14-year-old talks of attempts to coerce more images, against the threat of others being posted online.

The charity’s local campaign manager Gail Sayles said: “There are many reasons why a young person may share a self-generated sexual image.

“They may share it for fun, to a partner, or they may have been groomed or blackmailed into sharing this content.

“Our trained Childline counsellors know the devastating impact that sharing nude images can have on a young person and are here to support them if they have and are worried about what might happen.”

NSPCC has partnered with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to create the Report Remove tool, that allows young people to report these images of themselves.

The IWF will work to have any illegal content removed from the internet, coupled with support from Childline throughout.

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The BBC reported that IWF records trends in abuse imagery and that self-generated content is increasing.

The government’s Online Safety Bill is expected to become law this autumn, but campaigners have urged no more delays or changes to proposed legislation.

 

The NSPCC claimed 34,000 online grooming crimes had been recorded by UK police forces since 2017 – when the charity first called for more robust online safety legislation.

Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the IWF, said: “We urge companies to make sure there are robust safety features brought in if they intend to introduce end-to-end encryption to their platforms.

“Without them, end-to-end encryption will be a smokescreen for abusers, helping them hide what they’re doing, and enabling them to continue to hurt children and destroy young lives.”

More information on the Report Remove tool can be found on Childline’s website.

The NSPCC guidance for parents or carers is, if a young person tells you they are worried about this issue, try to remain calm. Reassure them you will support them no matter what and visit the NSPCC website together for more information and advice.

Childline counsellors are available on 0800 1111 or online at www.childline.org.uk, and adults who are supporting young people with this issue can phone the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 8005000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk