Video demonstrates why your nudes aren't safe with anyone, not even your parents

Publication date 25.5.2022 8.29
News item
Dad presenting a picture of a baby to his son and his friend who are playing video games.
The global campaign includes a film and visuals.

1 in 3 teens have seen non-consensually shared nudes. The Police of Finland is participates in the Think Before You Share campaign, which is launched by AMBER Alert Europe, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the field of child protection, and law enforcement officers from 28 countries around the globe.

The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness around a topic that has increasingly become an issue for minors over the past years – sharing self-generated naked images, otherwise known as “nudes”.  

The annual campaign by AMBER Alert Europe is kicked-off today with the campaign film. The campaign is scheduled to go live worldwide on social media, digital advertisement screens, and will be shared globally by ministries, national police forces and NGOs in the field of missing and exploited children. Campaign materials are also shared on Police of Finland’s social media accounts. 

A concerning phenomenon 

The COVID-19 pandemic along with the continuous growth of social media platforms, have increased the amount of self-generated naked teen pictures uploaded and shared daily online. A dramatic rise of 77 percent since 2019, according to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). This worrying behaviour has become normal among younger generations, to the point that 1 in 3 teenagers have admitted to having seen non-consensually shared nudes.  

Social media and messaging apps have become increasingly popular among teenagers as means of exploring and expressing their sexuality. This also includes taking and sharing nude images of themselves. Many teens feel that this is completely harmless and trust that their images will remain only with the intended recipient. Unfortunately, reality teaches us that this is often not the case. The campaign aims to make teens aware that these kinds of self-generated images can have far-reaching consequences on their health and wellbeing once shared, and could also lead to sexual extortion and coercion - even criminal charges.  

Humor helps to convey the message

The film and posters of the campaign, created by Innocean Berlin in collaboration with Zauberberg Productions, depict a relatable situation for many; loving parents sharing cute naked baby pictures of their children with their friends and family. While the campaign is not intended to keep parents from taking innocent baby pictures, this familiar scene is used to make teens aware that no one can be trusted with their naked pictures, not even their parents.  

This important message of a sensitive topic is executed with light-hearted tonality - something the younger generation can relate to. 

"Often, humor is the best way to address a serious topic. So when our friends at AMBER Alert Europe asked us to develop a concept to raise awareness about minors sharing nudes, we turned to comedy. But with a powerful, truthful twist. By depicting a 15-year-old birthday girl whose reputation melts in front of her eyes as her parents proudly overshare her toddler nudes, we're sending a message that will resonate with the kids. I'm pretty sure they'll laugh, but deep down they'll know exactly what NOT to do from now on,” says Ricardo Wolff, Executive Creative Director of Innocean Berlin. 

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