Young people in Ayrshire warned they could be sharing criminal content online
Police are raising concerns with how children as young as 12 are using apps like Snapchat
Last updated 9th Sep 2019
Children and young people in Ayrshire are being warned some of the content they’re sharing online could be criminal.
Police recently told an East Ayrshire Council meeting children as young as 12 are breaking the law by sharing indecent images on the likes of Snapchat.
Chief Superintendent Mark Hargreaves says the apps are high-risk because they're so easy for young people to use: “the internet and social media have created a modern day platform to carry out these types of offences.”
But he’s also warning the nature of the apps makes such crimes easier for police to discover: “The police have the ability to robustly investigate all offences that are reported, and actually, the use of the internet allows investigative avenues that weren’t previously available.”
He told the East Ayrshire Council Police and Fire and Rescue Committee it is important to educate children about the dangers of sharing explicit images of themselves and others on social media.
Committee chair Councillor Tom Cook said: “We need to get the message across to young people about the risks of going online and putting photographs up.
“They could end up with a criminal record.
“We have to take every opportunity possible to raise awareness. Young people may think it is a fun and a joke. But it could lead to a criminal conviction, which would affect them for the rest of their lives.”
He said it could impact someone’s career in the future.
The meeting heard campus cops are telling school pupils about the dangers to clamp down on the problem.
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