Together with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), Childline has developed a tool for removing nude photos of children and young people from online spaces - Report Remove tool.
Children and young people can report their photo they find and after reviewing the application by IWF photos or content will be removed if it violates the law. To report a nude photo or explicit video, a young person must first confirm their age. The Childline service provides protection and support to all young people throughout the process.
The nude photo removal tool is very easy to use and was launched in 2020.
The reasons why children or young people post photos like this on the internet are innumerable. It is possible that they did it out of curiosity, or they naively sent a photo to their boyfriend or girlfriend, and it is also possible that they were instructed in the online space by sexual predators. There are many situations in which children and young people find themselves in the subject of blackmail, which can have different effects on their lives. From feelings of shame, fear and disgust towards themselves, but also concern about the long-term impact of such content on their lives.
Children and young people can expect the same level of confidentiality as from all their interactions with Childline. They don’t need to give their real name if they don’t want to. The tool was developed in collaboration with the police to ensure that after the report the police will not personally contact the child or young person.
It is extremely important to provide support to children and young people who find themselves in a situation where their photos have been misused and to know who to turn to and that they can be helped.
At Childline, children and young people can find a lot of information on how they can protect themselves online. Once photos are found in an online space it can be intimidating for victims because they don’t know who all has access to the same.
Report Remove tool is unique tool in the world.