Indecent image

An "indecent image" is the legal term for a sexual or nude photo or video — and when it involves someone under 18, the law is strict. In the UK, it's illegal to take, possess, or share a sexual image of anyone under 18. This applies even if the image is of yourself, even if you took it willingly, and even if you only sent it to one person.

• "Indecent image" is the legal term for sexual or nude imagery — it covers photos, videos, and even screenshots.
• It's illegal to make, possess, or share an indecent image of anyone under 18 in the UK.
• This includes a nude you take of yourself. Technically, a 15-year-old taking a naked selfie is creating an indecent image of a child.
• The law exists to protect young people, not to criminalise normal teenage behaviour — police usually handle cases involving young people with support, not prosecution.
• Once an image is sent, you lose control of it. It can be screenshotted, forwarded, or shared without your knowledge.

What the law actually says

Under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988, it's an offence to take, make (which includes downloading or screenshotting), distribute, or possess an indecent image of someone under 18. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 also covers digitally created or manipulated images. [CHECK: confirm current legislation applies to AI-generated images]

This means:

• Taking a nude photo of yourself when you're under 18 — illegal
• Receiving a nude of someone under 18 — technically illegal (even if they sent it willingly)
• Forwarding someone's nude to a group chat — illegal
• Keeping nudes of an ex on your phone after they've asked you to delete them — potentially illegal

The law doesn't distinguish between a 15-year-old sending a selfie to their partner and an adult producing exploitative material — both technically fall under the same laws. However, in practice, police and the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) have guidance that says they should handle cases involving young people proportionately. A teenager who sends a nude to a partner is very unlikely to be prosecuted in the same way as an adult exploiting a child. The focus is usually on safeguarding, education, and support — not criminalisation.

Why this matters for young people

Sending nudes is something a lot of young people do or feel pressured to do. It's important to understand the risks:

You lose control. Once you send an image, you can't take it back. The other person can screenshot it, show it to friends, or share it online — even if they promise they won't. Relationships end. Trust breaks down. Images get used as weapons.

It can be used against you. Some people use intimate images to bully, blackmail, or control someone. This is sometimes called "revenge porn" (sharing intimate images without consent) and is a separate criminal offence for over-18s, and covered by indecent image laws for under-18s.

Pressure to send is not okay. If someone is pressuring you to send nudes — whether through guilt, flattery, threats, or persistence — that's coercion. You never owe anyone an image of your body.

Things people get wrong

"It's fine if we're both the same age." The law applies regardless of both people's ages. Two 15-year-olds sharing nudes are both technically breaking the law. In practice, the police are more interested in protecting you than punishing you — but the images still exist and can still be shared.

"If I only send it to one person, it's safe." It's not. One person is all it takes for an image to spread. Screenshots exist. Cloud backups exist. Phone thefts happen.

"It's just a photo, it's not a big deal." For some people it genuinely isn't. But for others, having an intimate image shared without consent has caused serious distress, bullying, and mental health impacts. The risk isn't theoretical.

What to do if something goes wrong

If a nude of you has been shared without your consent, or if someone is threatening to share one:

• Don't panic. This isn't your fault, even if you sent the image.
• Don't send more images in response to threats or blackmail.
• Screenshot evidence of any threats or sharing.
• Report it. You can report to CEOP, the Internet Watch Foundation (who can get images removed from the internet), or the police.
• Talk to someone you trust — a parent, teacher, school counsellor, or Childline.

Things people ask about indecent images

What if someone sends me a nude I didn't ask for?

You haven't done anything wrong. Don't forward it to anyone. If the person is under 18, the image is technically illegal to possess. Delete it. If you're being harassed, report it.

Can I get in trouble for having nudes on my phone?

Technically, possessing an indecent image of someone under 18 is an offence. In practice, if you're a young person and it was sent consensually, the police are more likely to focus on safeguarding than criminal charges. But it's still a risk.

What if my ex is threatening to share my nudes?

That's a form of abuse. Don't give in to threats. Screenshot the threats as evidence, and report to Childline, CEOP, or the police. You have options and you're not alone.

Is it illegal to send nudes if you're over 18?

Between consenting adults, sharing intimate images is legal. But sharing someone's intimate images without their consent is a criminal offence (revenge porn). And if the image is of someone under 18, it's illegal regardless of who sends it.

Where to get help

• Childline (0800 1111) — free, confidential support for under-19s about anything, including image sharing.
• CEOP — for reporting if someone online is making you feel unsafe or pressuring you for images.
• Internet Watch Foundation — can help get images of under-18s removed from the internet.
• The police (101 non-emergency, 999 emergency) — for threats, blackmail, or images being shared without consent.

An indecent image is the legal word for a sexual or naked photo or video. When it involves someone under 18, the law in the UK is very strict. It's illegal to take, keep, or share a sexual picture of anyone under 18. That includes a picture you take of yourself.

This might sound surprising. A teenager taking a naked photo of themselves is technically breaking the law. But the law exists to protect young people, not to get them in trouble. In practice, the police handle these situations with support, not by treating teenagers like criminals.

The real risks are about what happens to the picture once it's sent. Once you send an image, you can't control it anymore. The other person can screenshot it, show other people, or share it online. This happens more than people think, and it can cause a lot of hurt.

If someone is pressuring you to send a naked picture, that's not okay. You never owe anyone a photo of your body.

If a picture of you has been shared without your permission, or if someone is threatening to share one, it's not your fault. You can report it to Childline, CEOP, or the police. There are people who can help get images removed from the internet too.