A NEW APP called ‘SelfieCop’ aims to deter children from engaging in ‘sexting’ by sending their parents a copy of every photo or video taken by the child on their mobile phone.
Sexting is when people send sexually explicit messages and photos between mobile phones.
The app was the idea of a father and two uncles, all web developers.
The aim is that before taking or sending on a photo the teenagers will have to ask themselves: “Do I want my mum to see this?”
SelfieCop works by emailing any images or video taken by the child with the camera on the mobile or tablet as well as any images taken through other apps such as SnapChat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, MessageMe, Twitter and Kik on to an email address assigned by their parents.
All parents have to do is download and install the app to their child’s phone or tablet, enter a private email address to which the images will be sent and lock the app with a password, so that the child can not disable it.
Sexting
A study by McAfee in 2012 found that of the 21.5% of teens who post photos online, 7.5% are in revealing clothing.
Children sexting each other has become such a concern that one police force in the UK has warned that children who share so-called “sexts” with friends could face prosecution in court.
The Nothinghamshire police wrote a letter to all schools in the area stating that they were receiving reports on a daily basis of naked images being circulated between teenagers.
The makers of app said that the app has already been well-received, with police forces in the UK expressing interest in it.
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