Warning to parents

[Yahyahs22]

So I over heard my niece and nephews (young teenagers) discuss some videos and pictures that were sent to them. I was beyond disturbed about what I heard. Apparently its the new norm for these kids to send and receive horrific pictures and videos. Think illegal and the worst thing imaginable. I was asking questions like how on earth do they get hold of such things and I was told twitter and Instagram, seems they're quite lax..
I obviously told their parents who were MORTIFIED.
Just a warning to make you sure children aren't getting sent anything like this as they tend not to report it to their parents.

I'm not sure what more I can do as a parent though? The only social media app I allow my child to have is WhatsApp, he hands his phone in 8pm on school nights and 9pm on weekends. I check all messages regularly. If he wants to put new apps on his phone then I have to put in a password.
I can't control what his friends have on their phones and show him.

I do not think it's a good idea to take children's devices away. They need to learn how to navigate this digital world, as it will be their future. But they cannot espect to do it alone while they are still quite young.

I think parents should have spy-software on their children's phones at least up untill age 15. If they see something concerning they need to address it and help their kids through it. Ofcourse you need to let your children know you are doing this. It is also a good lesson that anything they send via their phones someone else can watch too, not just the parents.

As a teacher it doesn't shock me at all. Last parents I had to speak to about something 'online/social media/ WhatsApp' related, were absolutely adament that they monitored their 10 year old's phone use.

@BrilloSolar sorry to message but it's 'adamant'. I don't mind typos on here it's just so that kids don't get taught the wrong spelling sorry again and hope I'm not being of offensive.

For those saying they don't understand why I'm shocked at the lack of surprise here, I'm not on facebool/twitter/Instagram myself so don't see it, I don't have children who are old enough to even be at school yet and when I was a child these things weren't circulating, kids seeing CPorn clips is and will always be shocking to me

Was the Internet around when you were a child? If so, then it was definitely circulating. You just didn't see it.

I'm late 30's and remember seeing stuff like this when I first had a computer at home. Nothing new.

Yeah it was, I mustve just been bubble wrapped! Because it absolutely blew my mind and just assumed everyone else was the same as me but it seems I'm late knowing this.