‘Anti-sexting’ mobile app developed

An ‘anti-sexting’ mobile app has been developed to help youngsters stay safe online.

The app, called ‘Zipit’, has been developed by the charity ChildLine and provides tools for children to use to diffuse the pressures to send explicit images or videos, known as ‘sexting’.

It offers images to send to counter sexting requests and to discourage any further communication. It also includes advice on how to engage in safe chat, what to do if they feel threatened or if an image becomes public.

Sixty per cent of the young people questioned by ChildLine in 2013 said they had been asked for a sexual image or video of themselves and more than half said they had received a sexual photo or video, with a third receiving them from a stranger.

Staffordshire’s police and crime commissioner Matthew Ellis said: “Many young people think that sexting is harmless, but once the picture is sent it’s out of their control and they can’t get it back. This type of app is innovative as it provides young people with a tool to help them deal with the pressure to sext.”