Sexting and Image Sharing

What is sexting?

Sexting is making sexually suggestive images and sharing these images using mobile phones or by posting them on the internet and social media. The images might be photographs of yourself or someone else naked or partially naked.

Young people might call it sexting, and they might also use terms like sending a ‘nude’, ‘sexy selfie’ or ‘rude’ picture.

Sexting risks

Sexting or sending nudes has risks, like the risk of images being shared without consent. For example, you might say, ‘Once you send a photo to someone, you lose control of it. It could be shared with other people and put on social media. People you don’t know could see it’.

Think about what might happen if they break up or fall out with someone who has sexual images of them. For example, that person might share the sexual images to get revenge

Once images are on the internet they can be very difficult to remove.

What does the law say?

In the UK the age of consent for sexual intercourse is 16. However, it is an offence to make, distribute, possess or show any indecent images of anyone aged under 18, even if the content was created with the consent of that young person. The law is contained in section 1 Protection of Children Act 1978.

Examples include:

• a child (under 18) sharing a sexual image with their peer (also under 18);

• a child (under 18) sharing a sexual image created by another child with a peer or an adult;

• a child (under 18) in possession of a sexual image created by a child (under 18).

“Indecent” means, for example:

• naked pictures;

• topless pictures of a girl;

• pictures of genitals;

• sex acts including masturbation; and

• sexual pictures in underwear.