Halton Police and SOS 4 Kids to Youth: Never Share Nude Pics!

The topic of sharing of nude photos is currently in the spotlight after celebrity Rob Kardashian posted pornographic images of his former girlfriend, Blac Chyna. This is a reminder to children and youth to never send nude photos of themselves or others to anyone, stranger or friend, online. SOS4Kids recently spoke with a spokesperson from the Halton Regional Police who warns of the dangers of sharing naked pictures online.

“We have to remind kids that once you take a picture and share it on the internet, it’s there forever”, says Detective Constable Kathy Walker of the Internet Child Exploitation Unit. “A good rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t want your parents or grandparents to see the image, then you should not post it.”

The Halton Police urge kids to never send naked pictures of themselves or others to anyone online, whether you know the person or not. Not only is it wrong, but in Canada you can be charged for sending nude photos as young as 12 years old.

The Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act has existed in Canada since 2015. This federal law addresses crimes pertaining to revenge porn, cyberbullying and related offences and was adopted after the tragic suicides of Amanda Todd and Rehteah Parsons. These teenage girls, sadly, took their own lives several years ago after repeated online bullying and abuse.

While it can provide some relief to victims and help enforcement officials persecute people who break the Online Crime Act, photos likely will remain online forever as it is a difficult process to remove images, including embarrassing ones. This leaves victims feeling helpless and with a loss of dignity.

Educating kids about privacy and digital citizenship is a key focus of the programming developed by SOS4Kids. An interview with Detective Cosntable Kathy was captured on video and will be used as an instructional piece in the Online Home Alone course slated to be launched in mid-August. This course is based on the company’s popular Home Alone Safety for kids program offered in the GTA and across Canada by a network of Safety Partners.

SOS4Kids currently includes a component of online safety in all of its comprehensive safety programs. “We teach youth that they are responsible for everything they post online and upholding a reputable persona is necessary in today’s day and age”, say SOS4Kids co-founders Sue Perry and Velma Ganassini. More and more, schools and employers are going to social media to research the reputation of candidates and what they uncover can have a serious impact on the future of the candidates.

For more information about SOS4Kids programs, visit their website https://safetycoursesforkids.com.