PARENTS and carers know that children and young people are spending an increasing amount of time in the online world.

In recent years that became something of a necessity while Covid restrictions meant they were unable to attend school, but there’s little sign of online use changing as technology remains a hugely important part of our lives.

Of course, being online can be a great thing; there’s a world of knowledge at children’s fingertips and they can stay in touch with friends or family on the other side of the world, but it’s important that we help them to understand the risks, as well as the benefits, facing them every time they log on.

One topic the NSPCC’s Childline service often hears about from young people is that some have shared images or videos of themselves with a partner or a friend, which they’re now worried may be shared without their permission.

There are many reasons why a young person may share a self-generated sexual image. They may share it for fun, to a boyfriend or girlfriend, or they may have been groomed or blackmailed. We never encourage children to share images of themselves online, but it happens, and if they’re worried, we’re here to support them.

Every year, thousands of self-generated images are reported to the Internet Watch Foundation, their research suggests that number is rising. Our counsellors know the devastating impact that sharing nude images can have on a young person. Some said they felt embarrassed and afraid, others were filled with self-loathing. Some were concerned that images or videos they’d shared with someone close might have potential long-term impact on their future prospects. In some cases, young people turned to self-harm as a way of coping.

With the help of the Internet Watch Foundation, we created a special tool to help children in this situation. It’s called Report Remove and, as the name suggests, it allows young people to report images or videos of themselves that have appeared online or they’re worried might appear online. Once a report has been made, the IWF will work to have the content removed if it breaks the law, and Childline counsellors are there to ensure that young people are safeguarded and supported throughout the process.

The NSPCC is continuing to propose amendments to the Government’s Online Safety Bill, due to enter the reports stage this week, which will help prevent online offenders from easily targeting children and young people.

Anyone under 18 can find details about Report Remove at childline.org.uk/remove. Adults supporting young people with this issue can phone the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 8005000 and email help@nspcc.org.uk