Council on the wire:

More and more blackmail with nude photos online

Young people are increasingly being blackmailed with nude photos on the internet. "Sextortion is now the number one threat to children and young people in the digital space," says Birgit Satke, head of the Rat auf Draht emergency number 147. The number of boys and girls falling victim to this scam is increasing rapidly.

The number of calls on the subject rose by almost 30 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year - from 237 to 308. And the trend is rising: according to Rat auf Draht, there were already 101 inquiries about sextortion in the first quarter of the previous year alone.

The approach of the blackmailers, mostly members of well-organized fraud gangs, is always similar. The decoys pretend to be girls or young women who make contact with an unsuspecting person via social media and start a chat. The focus of the conversation quickly shifts and becomes erotic. The women suggest sending each other naked pictures or showing themselves naked in a video chat, which the scammers themselves do.

"Many young people go for it because it's exciting, they feel safe and both parties are being intimate," says Satke. However, the criminals save the pictures or videos of the young people or take screenshots of the - often unclothed - video call.

"The erotic talk then comes to an abrupt end and the victims receive a message asking them to transfer money within a short period of time," said Satke. Without money, the collected material would be published and forwarded to social media contacts, according to the tenor.

Perpetrators increasingly brazen
According to Rat auf Draht, the perpetrators are becoming increasingly brazen: Whereas in the past they would wait a little after the initial threat, now intimate data is sent to one or more people from the victim's circle of acquaintances immediately after the blackmail is announced.

Payment does not protect against publication
The victims, who are often shocked and desperate at first, should not respond to the demands and should not transfer any money, said Satke. Paying does not protect against publication. On the contrary, it often leads to more and more demands being made.

Rat auf Draht recommends breaking off contact immediately and securing evidence. If images or videos have already been published, this should be reported to the respective platform immediately. Online platforms are now obliged by the Communication Platforms Act (KoPl-G) to delete content that is punishable in this country within 24 hours. "It is also advisable to report it to the police, as this is a criminal offense," says Satke.

Support through tools
Two online tools can also help prevent the publication of nude photos and videos on certain platforms. "Take it down", intended for people under the age of 18, prevents intimate images or videos from being uploaded to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Onlyfans and other platforms. "Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Sharing (STOPNCII), for people aged 18 and over, has the same purpose.

Educational work is most important
The most important thing, however, is to educate children and young people as well as their parents. "The more children know about it, the better they can protect themselves and react accordingly. For example, by clearly stating that what the other person is doing is not okay and is punishable," says Satke. Self-confident children who defend themselves are usually not very attractive to perpetrators.