Canadian police are determined to cut down on sexting among teenagers.
This week, Ontario Provincial Police launched the “Send This Instead?app?(iOS en Android), for free. The app, according to Yahoo News, offers 57 “humorous and sarcastic retorts,” which serve as alternatives to things like?unwanted?dick pics as well as a way for users to instantly report sexually harassment:
Replies include “Sorry, just in the middle of something… Can I reject you later,” “That would violate both my data and dating plans” and “No, but keep taking the selfies. The cops will appreciate you making your own mugshot.”
It is aimed at Canadian teens, but will be available worldwide when it is officially launched at the Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas, Texas on August 11-14.
“When you are feeling pressured to send intimate images to someone online, Send This Instead,” reads a description of the app on Apple’s and Google’s app stores.
Inspector Scott Naylor, manager of the OPP sex crimes unit, told AFP police had been “bombarded with complaints about sexting” in the last two years.
The app can also be used to report?sexual harassment. The app includes links to organizations like NeedHelpNow.ca, which is administered by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and children helps to get nude pictures off the internet.
The official launch on 11 August at the Crimes Against Children conference?in Dallas, Texas. Research showed earlier that one in every six children have received a nude photo of a ‘friend’ and was asked to send one back too. ?Inspector Scott Naylor, director of the OPP unit, indicates that the police have received a rash of complaints about sexting in the past two years. He is very happy with this new initiative. “Until now, anti-sexting campaigns have focused on warning children about the dangers of sending explicit photos of themselves. But it does not work, we need a new approach.”
Sources: Jezebel, SendThisInstead, Yahoo