INVESTIGATION: Number of boys blackmailed over nude images online is soaring
We've been looking into the issue of teenagers being targeted by fake profiles, then extorted over social media
Last updated 22nd Mar 2024
"I’ve already sent them hundreds of pounds, but they won’t leave me alone." There's been a huge rise in the number of teenage boys being blackmailed online after sending nude images over social media.
We've been investigating a new trend that sees teenagers targeted by fake profiles online - often appearing to be members of the opposite sex - who strike up a conversation about hobbies, video games or topics mentioned in the target's social media feed.
It appears to start off innocently, but talk soon shifts to requests to send nude images.
When the pictures are taken and sent by the young person, the scammer drops their act and they're told the photos will be shared with friends and family, or posted more widely, unless money is sent - often hundreds of pounds at a time.
Some threaten violence too, or suggest the victim has committed a crime and will be arrested if they don't pay up.
Childline sees a big increase in blackmail calls
We've spoken to the NSPCC, who run Childline, about the issue.
Their data shows this is a growing trend and one that boys are disproportionately being caught up in.
- In 2022/23 Childline saw a 61% increase in counselling sessions where a child discussed blackmail or threats to expose or share sexual images.
- Just under two thirds of the calls came from boys.
- The number of boys calling about this issue has more than DOUBLED since 2021/22
Here's an insight into the sorts of conversations children are telling Childline about their experiences.
“I met a girl on app who said she was into the same games as me. We’d been chatting for ages, and I sent her some nude pictures and she said she’d send some back. Instead, she’s saying I have to send her hundreds of pounds in gaming gift cards, or she’ll share my pictures everywhere. I knew to block her, but I’m worried she’ll still share them” (Boy, 17)
“I should have known she wasn’t real. I’ve never had any girls interested in me before, I’ll admit I was just glad a girl wanted to talk to me. I had doubts about her, but I ignored them. After we exchanged numbers and nudes, she disappeared, and I got bombarded by messages from new accounts demanding money. I’ve already sent them hundreds of pounds, but they won’t leave me alone, how do I stop them asking me for more?” (Boy, 18)
“I thought the person I was talking to was a lady and she asked to see my privates. She said she was 16, now she’s saying she’s 9 and that I’ve broken the law! She says I have to send her my mum’s card details, or she’ll have me arrested. I’m so scared of getting in trouble with my mum and the police” (Boy, 13)
Blackmail nudes numbers are "just the tip of the iceberg"
Cormac Nolan is from Childline Online. He told our investigation that this new trend has become a huge issue for young people, particularly boys.
He told us: "There's no question that the issue is bigger than we're seeing. I think we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg at the moment.
"It really has become the principle form of online abuse that we're seeing.
"The numbers increase year on year, last year we saw a 61% increase and we do expect that to increase this year as well."
Cormac told us about the emotional state of young people who'd contacted Childline to talk about their experiences: "They're frightened, isolated, very concerned about what will happen in the immediate moment, but also about what will happen in their future.
"Will it affect their prospects for university, for jobs, will families find out? They level of worry cannot be overstated.
"There's fear, right up to suicidal thoughts and feelings, right up to suicidal actions to match those thoughts and feelings. That's how serious it is."
Nude images can be removed using #ReportRemove
The NSPCC has a range of resources online to help parents and their children navigate this experience, and they collaborate with the Internet Watch Foundation to promote awareness of the #ReportRemove tool.
This software allows staff at the Internet Watch Foundation to effectively put a digital fingerprint on any images sent online - and stop them being shared across internet servers.
It means images reported by young people can be removed from the internet.
Find out more about #ReportRemove and read more about how to stop your nude images being shared online.
What can I do if I'm being blackmailed over nude images online?
If this is happening to you, stop communicating with the blackmailer immediately.
You can report the blackmailer using the in-app reporting tool, or do it through Report Harmful Content
Remember, you are the victim, and you don't need to suffer alone.
Speak to a trusted adult, and you can speak to the Police on 101.
You can also report the images using the #ReportRemove service detailed above, so that they can't be hosted on other websites.
Get more advice on what to do through the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre.
You can talk to Childline on 0800 1111.
What action are the Police taking?
Ian Critchley is the National Police Chief Council's lead for Child Exploitation.
He's seen the growing impact this issue is having on children and young people and told us we need to bring the conversation out into the open:
He told MFR: "It's really concerning, it's really important that we raise this and I'm grateful for you for giving this the airing that it needs because its impacting on more and more young people.
"Whilst we see the majority of sexual crimes, either online or contact offences, are by boys and men against girls.
"When we see extortion taking place we're seeing the targeting of young boys.
"We're seeing offenders often on the other side of the globe, often within countries in Africa, purporting to being women and then eliciting young boys to share indecent images of themselves. We know this has led to increased reporting, but sadly, not just in this country, we've seen young people taking their own lives."
Ian told us the Policing of this blackmail trend involves interacting with forces from around the UK and the globe to track down and stop the gangs from reaching young people in the first place.
He said: "We've arrested individuals in this country who've committed some of the most appalling acts of extortion on young people - we will go where we need to go, with the tactics we need to seek to identify the offenders.
"We need young people to realise they are the victims of the most abhorrent offenders. There should be no embarrassment, they need to tell somebody. This is happening at scale.
"We all need to give confidence to young people that there is a way out. Cease all contact, come forward and we will help you."
Ian also wants tech companies to use powers in the Online Safety Act to pre-screen nude images that are published on the internet to stop the issue happening in the first place: "Quite frankly it's not being done - and it's not being done at all.
"Whilst we target the offenders, we can also make sure the online community can be much safer."
Talking to your child about sending nudes online
We put the findings of our investigation to social media expert Jess Chalmers aka The Social Jess, who creates digital content, and visits schools, to warn of the risks that social media can pose.
She told us that boys often pay much more attention in her workshops when she mentions that not all requests for nude selfies come from who they say they are, and that the consequences of not knowing the risks of talking to strangers online are very serious.
Jess told us: "It's huge. I can't begin to imagine how hideous they must feel, but if we talk about it and they know this is something that happens then they're less likely to share images and they're less likely to get themselves into a pickle.
"The most important thing a parent can do is to educate themselves on the risks, because if we know what the risks are we can then help to guide our children to have a safer, much more positive experience online."
Parents can get general information on the sending of nudes (or sexting) via Internet Matters. The link includes this video created by CEOP about how parents can start a conversation with their child about the sharing of nude images.
MPs respond to our investigation
We've raised the issue of teenagers being blackmailed online with the Minister of State for Schools Damian Hinds MP.
He told our investigation: "There are big risks that come with nude or semi nude pictures of yourself being taken because once they leave your possession and they're with anyone else you cannot know for sure what's going to happen with them.
"So it is very important, for example, that in the RHSE lessons, in Computing and Citizenship we do talk about online safety and its important that children know about some of these risks and how to protect themselves.
"With the Online Safety Act we're taking important steps to make sure online platforms and others are responsible, particularly when it comes to the protection of children.
"It is a broad issue, and one in which everybody has an important part to play."
Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told us: "I think its incredibly important that young people have the skills and tools they need to navigate the online world.
"I am concerned by cases we've seen where young people have been exposed to this kind of behaviour.
"That's why it's essential we embed digital literacy right across the curriculum so young people know what's safe, know how to keep safe online and are aware of where they could be exploited."
Our investigation into teenage blackmail continues...
We'll have further coverage from our investigation across MFR throughout the week.
The investigation is being led by our Senior Correspondent Mick Coyle: mick.coyle@bauermedia.co.uk