Barnardo's responds to the news that tech firms must stop children sending and receiving explicit images, or face new laws.
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “Far too many children are exposed to harmful sexual content online or are pressured into sharing sexual images. Barnardo’s research found that a quarter of all young people have seen a nude photo which was originally sent privately and then shared further – while around one in seven 13- to 15-year-old girls have been asked to share a nude photo of themselves. The impact of this can last a lifetime.
“This is a strong step towards keeping children safe and we look forward to seeing how these proposals will work in practice. Good intentions are not enough, however, so they need to be backed up by strong regulation and enforcement – as well as keeping pace with how quickly online harms evolve.
“It is absolutely vital that the focus also remains on protecting children, not criminalising them. Any system must make sure that children who share images are supported, not shamed, and that strong reporting and safeguarding mechanisms are in place.
“Online or offline, child safety must come first. Technology companies need to build it in from the start."