They were among 6,499 cases of children under 14 investigated for such offences between 1 January 2017 and 21 August 2019, according to data disclosed to the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act. It is illegal for anyone to take, make or share indecent images of children under the 1978 Protection of Children Act – even if the image is self-generated and shared consensually. The number of children coming to the attention of police for sexting has prompted alarm from academics and charities. The data showed a steep rise in police investigations around sexting, from 183 a month in 2017 to 241 so far this year. “The entire debate in 1978, when this legislation was introduced, was around protecting children from child sexual exploitation and now it’s being used to prosecute children,” he said.

Source: The Guardian December 30, 2019 18:00 UTC