1 in 4 Young People Had Naked Photos Leaked Online

Some 24 per cent of young British adults had naked photos of them shared on the Internet without their consent, a new UK survey reveals.

As a result, a third of respondents said they felt less confident, 26 per cent had suicidal thoughts and 24 per cent tried to harm themselves.

“An ex-boyfriend of mine took naked photos of me on holiday and then decided to send it to EVERYONE we knew via WhatsApp,” said Siobhan, 22 years old. “He then uploaded the picture online and continued to send it. I got the police involved and they said there was nothing they could do as when someone has a photo of you Ëœit becomes their property to do as they wish with it.”

When it comes to sexting, 37 percent of respondents said they have sent a naked photo to their better halves, at least once, for “harmless fun” or to “receive photos back.” Those who didn`t send naked photos said they just don`t want to do it (73 per cent), with no further explanation.

Investigating the causes of cyberbullying, the Wireless Report also shows teens frequently access image-sharing apps on their smartphones. Some 65 per cent use Snapchat several times a day, 55 per cent access Instagram and 47 per cent use WhatsApp multiple times per day.

About 62 per cent admit receiving nasty private messages on social networks apps such as Grindr, Skype and Kik Messenger. But half of them have never reported it because they didn`t think it was serious enough.

The survey, ordered by anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label, was conducted on a sample of over 1,000 young people from across the United Kingdom, aged 13-25 yrs.