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Could the ‘Granny Rule’ protect you from the dangers of sexting?

Schoolgirl Ryley is well aware of teenagers sharing explicit photos on social media.

“It’s most common in first and second year [children aged 11-13],” she claimed on Teenage Kicks: Love, Sex & Social Media. But, shockingly, Ryley believes much younger children are also sharing intimate photos online.

“The youngest I’ve heard of is P6, P7 [ages 9-11].”

Others on the programme revealed the pressure put on girls to send images which are then shared widely, and described relationships begun with the sole intention of acquiring nude photos.

15-year-old Ryley talks openly about sexting among school children

There’s pressure to send intimate images, which can be shared rapidly on social media.

Sharing private pictures can be dangerous, so what can be done to avoid falling victim to potential blackmail, bullying and harm?

Would you want your granny to see the image you’re sharing?

The NSPCC offers . Among the suggestions is adoption of the ‘Granny Rule’ to help evaluate whether an image is suitable for sending to someone else.

It’s a simple question: ‘Would you want your granny to see the image you’re sharing?’. If the answer is ‘No’, you may not want anyone else seeing it.

Applying the Granny Rule before pressing send could be a valuable technique for staying safe.

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