Online safety — for teens
No lectures. Just honest information about the stuff that actually matters when you're growing up online in 2026.
What matters most right now
AI relationships & emotional dependency
Character.AI, Replika — why it's easy to feel more understood by a chatbot than a real person, and what that can actually lead to.
New riskImage sharing, consent & the law
What consent means for photos and videos. Why "they asked for it" doesn't matter legally. What happens when images are shared without permission.
Legal consequencesSextortion — what it is and what to do
How organised criminals pose as peers to get images, then threaten to share them. It's more common than you think — and there are clear steps to take.
UrgentYour digital footprint
University admissions, employers, and people you haven't met yet will search your name. What you post now doesn't disappear when you turn 18.
Long-termSocial pressure & comparison culture
Why algorithms are designed to make you feel inadequate. How the people with the most followers feel the same way you do. What the research says.
Mental healthPrivacy, data & how platforms use you
Every app is collecting data on you. What they collect, how they use it, and simple settings that significantly reduce what they know.
Take controlIf someone has images of you and is threatening to share them
This is a crime. Not your fault. And there are people who can stop it.
It doesn't matter how the images were taken, or what you were doing, or how well you thought you knew the person. The person threatening you has committed a criminal offence under the Online Safety Act 2023.
The shame is not yours to carry. The police, CEOP, and Childline will not judge you. They have seen this before — many times. They exist to stop the person doing this to you.
Myth vs fact
"If I sent the image, it's my fault"
Sending something to one trusted person is not consent for them to share it with anyone else. Sharing an intimate image without permission is a criminal offence in the UK.
Sharing without consent is illegal — full stop
Under the Online Safety Act 2023, sharing intimate images without consent carries up to 2 years in prison. AI-generated deepfake images of real people are also now included.
"An AI friend is safer than a real person"
AI companions are designed to keep you engaged — not to act in your best interest. The company profits from your continued use. That's not friendship.
AI chatbots do not have feelings or loyalty
They generate responses based on patterns. They don't miss you when you're gone. Relying on AI for emotional support can make real relationships harder, not easier.
The legal reality
Sexting between under-18s
Technically illegal in the UK even between consenting teens. Police can use discretion, but images can end up on harmful sharing sites regardless of the original intent.
AI deepfake images
Creating or sharing AI-generated intimate images of real people without consent is a criminal offence in England and Wales as of 2024 — regardless of age.
Grooming & exploitation
Adults who manipulate young people online for sexual purposes face serious prison sentences. No adult can legally claim they "didn't know" you were under 18.
Helping a friend — when you're worried about someone else
Listen without judging
Let them talk. Don't minimise it ("it's probably fine") or catastrophise. Just be there. "I'm really glad you told me" goes a long way — further than you might think.
Encourage them to tell a trusted adult
You don't have to carry this alone, and neither do they. Help them think of who they trust — a parent, a teacher, a school counsellor. Offer to go with them if that would help.
If they're in danger, tell an adult yourself
A real friend sometimes has to break a secret to keep someone safe. That's not a betrayal — it's the most loyal thing you can do. Their safety matters more than the secret.
For you, or someone you know
Childline
0800 1111 — free, 24/7, confidential. You don't have to give your name.
CEOP
ceop.police.uk — report online sexual exploitation right now.
Revenge Porn Helpline
revengepornhelpline.org.uk — free image removal support.