The Observer: Teenage internet camgirls at risk
A growing number of British teenagers are posting pictures of themselves on the web in return for gifts from strangers. David Rowan reports on the 'camgirls'.
Kerry was sent £70 worth of underwear last week, bought at Playboy's online store by a man she had never met. The same day, she received a £45 cheque at her Lancashire home to pose at her webcam 'and do absolutely nothing'.
In the 10 months since her personal website went live, its sultry photo galleries and provocative 'livecam' shots have brought Kerry so much attention - and gifts ranging from lingerie to CDs - that she now plans to build a premium 'members' area' that she hopes will earn her a full-time living.
First, though, she has her GCSEs to worry about - for Kerry, one of Britain's growing number of internet 'camgirls', is a schoolgirl aged just 14. As technology becomes ever cheaper and internet companies vie to offer free web space, thousands of children are chronicling their lives on intimate personal websites.
But some young girls are taking these most public of diaries a stage further, and posing in their bedrooms for prurient webcam photographs that they use to persuade strangers to buy them gifts. Although many children simply point visitors to their 'wish lists' on shopping sites such as Amazon, The Observer has discovered that a number are actively soliciting gifts with the promise of more revealing photographs in return.
It is a disturbing trend that has become established among Britain's teenagers only in recent months. Senior police officers expressed dismay after an Observer investigation uncovered some of the wish list 'trades'.
Most worryingly, the majority of young British camgirls we contacted said their parents were unaware of their online activities, and few seemed to understand the risks inherent in these dubious transactions.
Although the girls do not give their addresses - and Amazon wish lists state only the area the gift is being sent to - databases of website owners and their addresses are in the public domain.
Len Hynds, head of Britain's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, said the force was unaware that such sites were now operating in the UK until The Observer detailed six which appear to be run by 14- to-18-year-old girls from counties including Durham, Essex and Dorset. 'It's a very worrying trend, and clearly something we should be getting a more accurate picture of,' Detective Chief Superintendent Hynds said. 'Paedophiles are very good at grooming children in chatrooms, and I'd be very surprised if paedophiles weren't aware of these sites.' By providing photographs and encouraging strangers to provide gifts, the girls were placing themselves at severe risk, he said.
ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE
Kerry was sent £70 worth of underwear last week, bought at Playboy's online store by a man she had never met. The same day, she received a £45 cheque at her Lancashire home to pose at her webcam 'and do absolutely nothing'.
In the 10 months since her personal website went live, its sultry photo galleries and provocative 'livecam' shots have brought Kerry so much attention - and gifts ranging from lingerie to CDs - that she now plans to build a premium 'members' area' that she hopes will earn her a full-time living.
First, though, she has her GCSEs to worry about - for Kerry, one of Britain's growing number of internet 'camgirls', is a schoolgirl aged just 14. As technology becomes ever cheaper and internet companies vie to offer free web space, thousands of children are chronicling their lives on intimate personal websites.
But some young girls are taking these most public of diaries a stage further, and posing in their bedrooms for prurient webcam photographs that they use to persuade strangers to buy them gifts. Although many children simply point visitors to their 'wish lists' on shopping sites such as Amazon, The Observer has discovered that a number are actively soliciting gifts with the promise of more revealing photographs in return.
It is a disturbing trend that has become established among Britain's teenagers only in recent months. Senior police officers expressed dismay after an Observer investigation uncovered some of the wish list 'trades'.
Most worryingly, the majority of young British camgirls we contacted said their parents were unaware of their online activities, and few seemed to understand the risks inherent in these dubious transactions.
Although the girls do not give their addresses - and Amazon wish lists state only the area the gift is being sent to - databases of website owners and their addresses are in the public domain.
Len Hynds, head of Britain's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, said the force was unaware that such sites were now operating in the UK until The Observer detailed six which appear to be run by 14- to-18-year-old girls from counties including Durham, Essex and Dorset. 'It's a very worrying trend, and clearly something we should be getting a more accurate picture of,' Detective Chief Superintendent Hynds said. 'Paedophiles are very good at grooming children in chatrooms, and I'd be very surprised if paedophiles weren't aware of these sites.' By providing photographs and encouraging strangers to provide gifts, the girls were placing themselves at severe risk, he said.
ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE
posted by David Rowan at Tuesday, July 02, 2002
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