One in five secondary pupils have felt pressured into sharing explicit images of themselves using smartphone, study reveals
The shocking study by Vodafone shows that nearly two thirds of the 11 to 17-year-olds later discovered that their images or videos had been forwarded on without their consent.
The worrying data comes as 85 per cent of parents prepare to buy their child a new phone before they start secondary school next month.
But almost half (46 per cent) admit to having concerns around their child receiving explicit images on the device.
The disturbing survey comes as Vodafone becomes the first mobile network globally to launch a new smartphone which uses AI to protect children.
The first-of-it kind smartphone HMD Fuse is equipped with AI system HarmBlock+ to prevent explicit content from being shown on screen, captured by camera, shared or stored.
The research, which surveyed 1,000 parents and secondary school children, alongside 4,555 teachers, lays bare the worrying consequences sharing such images have for children.
Some 17 per cent said they had been targeted by individuals pretending to be someone they trusted, like a classmate or friend online.
The first-of-it kind smartphone HMD Fuse is equipped with AI system HarmBlock+ to prevent explicit content from being shown on screen, captured by camera, shared or stored.
For many who shared images, the emotional impact was instant, with 36 per cent experiencing immediate regret, and 28 per cent anxious it might fall into the wrong hands.
Nearly two thirds (63 per cent) later discovered that their images or videos had been forwarded on without their consent, with 27 per cent of young people admitting they had seen explicit images of someone at their school via a friend's device.
Just under half (41 per cent) of teachers reported explicit image-sharing as a growing problem in their school, with more than one in four saying they dealt with at least one incident of explicit images of students being shared in the last academic year.
They said most of those affected displayed increased anxiety (65 per cent), lower moods (60 per cent), increased absences (55 per cent) and even falling grades (25 per cent).
James Robinson, Vice President, HMD Family, said the new phone 'recognises children's evolving needs – and puts safety at the heart of the experience from day one'.
'It gives parents more control and peace of mind and helps to protect children from explicit content in real time, without encroaching on their privacy,' he added.
Available exclusively at Vodafone, the device uses the advanced AI built directly into the operating system and the camera, making it safer from the moment it's switched on.
Designed to evolve over time with the child, the device is guided by an advanced parental control system, which allows applications to be added or removed, even the camera.
Creator of HarmBlock Richard Pursey said the AI system was 'ground-breaking'.
'HarmBlock AI brings a new dimension to our parental controls technologies as it focuses on harmful content, as opposed to simply remotely managing a device and the apps...
'By embedding HarmBlock and parental controls in the operating system we have made devices safer, irrespective of the apps running on it.'
In conjunction, Vodafone is also launching 'Connect and Protect', a brand-new set of tools, helping parents decide when to get a phone for their child, and how to choose the right one with expert help from the NSPCC.
While parents have their concerns smartphones, many also recognise the benefits, from supporting schoolwork (49 per cent) to location tracking, which 65 per cent value.
Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, VodafoneThree said: 'As parents prepare for the back-to-school season, many face the exciting, yet often daunting, milestone of deciding if their child is ready for a device and whether a basic phone or smartphone is the right fit.
'We're proud to launch 'Connect and Protect', a brand-new set of tools to support parents on this journey , and to be the first globally to offer the HMD Fuse protected with HarmBlock+, a new, safer kind of device for families as they navigate the online world.'
Visit vodafone.co.uk/family to access the new 'Connect and Protect' tools and support, and for the new HMD Fuse protected with Harmblock+.
Available from £33 a month (£30 upfront cost), the device is available will be in retail stores and online at Vodafone Family.
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