Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

It’s important to respect people’s privacy and when someone trusts us with something intimate and close to them, that we try not to let them down. Sending nudes online or sexting is very risky and could even be illegal – but sharing ones that have been sent to you in private is definitely not okay.

Your friend has broken the law by sharing underage pictures of this person, but he has also violated their trust.

I can’t say what’s going to happen to your friend – it really depends on what happens with the pictures he shared. One of the dangers of sharing things online is that once you’ve done it, it’s out there for good. It’s very hard to undo that and get the pictures back. But there are ways of reporting this and get help. You can do this through Think U Know.

I would suggest he talks to the people he shared it with and asks them to delete it – they may not want to or may say they have but lie about it, but it’s probably the best option he has to try and undo the mistake he’s made.

I would also suggest he thinks about how the person who sent him the pictures might feel if they knew what he’d done with them.

I’m sorry I can’t give more advice than that. We all make mistakes and do things we regret so hopefully it’ll help your friend to make the right choices next time.

Don't forget we're here to support you and your friend. You can talk to our counsellors at any time.

Take care,
Sam