THUNDER BAY -- Sharing any nude images of youths, even if it’s between two people under the age of 18, is illegal.
That’s the message from the Cyber Crime Unit of the Thunder Bay Police Service, who on Monday revealed they are currently conducting an investigation after discovering cases of youths in Thunder Bay sharing nude images through social media.
Executive officer Chris Adams said the current investigation is relatively isolated to a small number of youth, but knows it might extend beyond that.
While he can’t disclose many details, Adams said revealing there is a current investigation will hopefully start conversations in the homes about why the practice is not acceptable.
“Police can react and get involved as far as criminality but when it comes to this kind of behaviour and long-term impact, these are the kinds of things parents should be talking about with their kids,” Adams said.
Taking and sharing nude images of youths, even consensually, can result in criminal charges.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are really, whether you’re considered a youth under the Criminal Justice Act or an adult, you can still be guilty of possessing, producing or distributing child pornography,” he said.
While many may few the practice as innocent, the risks are not worth it, Adams said.
Future relationships and reputations can be harmed if the images wind up publicly available on the Internet, as many celebrities found out the hard way earlier this year.
“People may think this is acceptable behaviour but they are creating a huge problem for themselves and potentially creating content that predators might be quite interested in,” he said.
