A digital law expert is urging parents to speak to their children about the dangers of social media, particularly sending nudes.
A simple conversation between a parent and child could mean the difference between safety and tragedy, according to legal expert and The Digital Law Company director Emma Sadleir, who said she is seeing a worrying rise in cases of sextortion, blackmail and online coercion involving children.
She has issued an urgent appeal to parents not to delay speaking to their children about the dangers of sharing images online and the importance of asking for help if they become victims of online predators.
"There are so many cases locally involving extortion, sextortion, blackmail and coercion. Please, I am begging you, as soon as your child has a phone and is talking to anybody on the internet, especially if they are on Snapchat, have a conversation today about how, if your child is being extorted, they have to tell an adult."
She said many young victims suffer in silence because they fear punishment or disappointing their parents, leaving them vulnerable to criminals who exploit that fear.
