‘Naked selfies’ spark online indignation and renews discussion on cyber-bullying

The Police's cybercrime unit has launched an investigation into the alleged distribution of lewd pictures of girls by a group of young men.

The 'naked selfies', taken by the girls themselves, ended up online and public when their ex-boyfriends - or friends - started uploading them on a Tumblr blog 'Maltese girls caught on camera'.

It appears that the blog has since been taken down although the blog's administrator said he would start uploading blurred photos which the girls themselves would sent in. The administrator said this change was due to the "numerous complaints" he received.

According to a news report by TVM, the pictures were first shared on a private group on Facebook when a group of young men came together to share photos of their ex-girlfriends, naked or in their underwear.

Teen idol Ira Losco took to Facebook to warn young adults, especially girls, to be careful in what pictures they take and how they use them.

On her Facebook wall, the pop sensation voiced her concern at how pictures of young women - some of which her fans - were by circulated by "young and very irresponsible men".

"It is already alarming to me how such young women would send pictures of a certain nature to peers they naturally can't trust! But what also disgusts me is the action of these men using the photos without a whim and letting them spread like wife," Losco said.

"This is cyber bullying and I hope it is being dealt with, because I do not want to be that parent opening a mail and finding my daughter's photo staring me back at the face or that same parent if God Forbid, that daughter decides to do something detrimental."

Losco however also had a word of advise for the girls themselves, insisting that the pictures should not have been taken in the first place.

"They are the most at fault followed by whoever took advantage to use such pictures which land themselves in an array of trouble - revenge porn, money bribes, suicides and all the results of cyberbulling."

Reacting to comments which flooded in, Losco said she disapproved of girls "flaunting their naked body on a photo to be shared".

The Maltese star urged others to learn from this incident: "We all make mistakes when we are young and we are all human. But if we can bring such issues to light, it might bring about something positive and maybe even save lives who are crushed in the aftermath."

An Anti-Cyber Harassment Alliance - fronted by Labour MP Deborah Schembri and former PN MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando - was set up last year, urging the public to join in the fight against cyber bullying, harassment and stalking.

The ACHA proposed an efficient ruling body that would be quick to respond to cases of cyber-bullying and cyber-harassment. The alliance also called for laws against such acts of aggression should be revisited and, if need be, strengthened.