English
Ukrainian
Polish
DutchQuiz
Navigating Consent, Boundaries, and Image Sharing Online
⏱ 5 minutes to honestly assess your knowledge
Anastasia (17) starts chatting with Borys (17), a boy she met through a group of mutual friends. They have been texting and sharing memes, staying up late at night and flirting. Anastasia likes him. One evening, Borys writes: “You look amazing in your new profile picture. Wish I could see more.” He keeps hinting until he directly asks her to send a private picture. Anastasia hesitates. She’s not sure how she feels. Some of her friends have done it before. She doesn’t really want to send him a picture, but she is afraid that saying ‘‘no’’ will ruin the connection with him.
What should Anastasia do?
Send a less revealing picture to keep him interested
Ignore the message and hope he stops asking
Tell him she’s not comfortable and set a clear boundary
Ask her friends if they think it’s normal before deciding
Answer: The healthiest option is to say how we really feel and set a boundary. Communication and respect are very important in any relationship and any person that cares about us should respect that. It is always good to ask a friend we trust, but at the end we should do what feels right to us. Sending him a less revealing picture or ignoring him might send mixed signals, make her feel pressured to do something she doesn’t want to do, or even put her in a risky situation.
After a few days, Anastasia decides to send one photo anyway to keep him interested. She doesn’t send any explicit picture, just a little revealing. Borys compliments her and promises to delete it later.
They continue chatting for a while, but after a few weeks, he becomes distant and eventually stops replying. Anastasia feels embarrassed and confused, but she moves on.
What’s the best thing Anastasia could do to protect herself?
Ask him to confirm deletion in writing and stop sending any more pictures
Send another photo to keep things friendly
Delete the conversations on her phone to “erase the trail”
Do nothing; trust he’ll delete it
Answer:
Deleting chats or accounts or trusting blindly doesn’t remove copies or screenshots. Having confirmation that Borys deleted the picture reduces the risks of it being shared with other people.
Tip: Save a proof of the messages or agreements just in case. However, keep in mind that even screenshots or other proof don’t guarantee that the picture is completely gone. It could still be saved elsewhere, for example on another device. It’s important to be cautious and aware of these risks.
Months later, Artem, a friend of Anastasia’s, is scrolling through a group chat when he suddenly notices something disturbing. Someone has shared a private photo of a girl that looks like Anastasia. There are laughing emojis and comments under it.
Artem feels shocked and uncomfortable. He isn’t sure what to do. Should he tell Anastasia right away, or report it to the app moderators or a teacher first? He worries that telling her might upset her but also thinks she deserves to know.
What should Artem do first?
Forward the picture to another friend first to confirm if it’s really her, before reaching out to Anastasia. It might not even be her
Nothing. This isn’t really his business and he doesn’t want to create a conflict
Take screenshots as proof, then contact Anastasia privately to tell her what he saw and ask how she wants to handle it. If she agrees, Artem can also help her reach out to a trusted adult for support
Report the picture to the platform immediately
Answer: When something private is shared without consent, it’s a form of online gender-based violence and a crime in many countries. It’s never the victim’s fault. Reporting without telling her might sound helpful, but it could make Anastasia feel powerless or blindsided if she finds out from others. Contacting Anastasia first shows respect and care for her privacy and emotions. She deserves to know that someone is sharing her image, and she should have a say in what happens next. Taking screenshots before anything is deleted can help if they decide to report it later. Forwarding the image spreads the harm further. Doing nothing allows the situation to continue and isolates Anastasia even more.
After hearing from Artem, Anastasia feels shocked and upset. She checks the group chat link and sees her picture, edited and commented on, alongside pictures of other girls from her school. Her heart races. She feels angry, ashamed and scared all at once.
Artem feels bad for her and wants to help, but he also feels unsure about what they should do next. He’s worried that if they tell adults or the police, everyone at school will find out and start gossiping. Anastasia says she just wants it all to go away.
What should Anastasia and Artem do next?
Confront the people in the group chat and demand they delete everything
Post publicly about it to warn others and shame those involved
Try to forget about it and hope it disappears over time
Collect evidence (screenshots, usernames, links) and talk to a trusted adult, like a teacher, counsellor or parent, before reporting it
Answer: Taking screenshots or saving links is important for evidence before anything is deleted. Talking to a trusted adult together helps them handle the situation safely and calmly. Adults can help them report the incident to the platform or the police and support Anastasia emotionally. Posting publicly might seem empowering, but it can also attract unwanted attention and spread the image further. Confronting people directly could make the situation worse or lead to more bullying. Ignoring it won’t stop it from spreading or prevent it from happening to others.
With Artem’s support, Anastasia gathers screenshots of the posts and messages and shows them to her school counsellor. The counsellor takes her seriously and helps her contact the cyber unit of the police. Together, they file a report and request the platform to take down the images.
The process isn’t easy. It takes time. Anastasia worries about people at school finding out and feels anxious when she checks her phone. But slowly, she begins to feel more in control again. Her parents, friends and teachers remind her that what happened was not her fault.
Artem also learns from the experience. He realises how important it is to speak up, not stay silent and to stand beside a friend rather than just watch from the sidelines. Other classmates start talking about online respect and consent, and the school organises a workshop about safe and respectful online behaviour.
Treat others online with the same respect and care you expect for yourself. Always ask for consent and never share someone’s private content. If you see harm happening, don’t stay silent: speak up, offer support, and help make digital spaces safe for everyone.