Worrying new figures reveal that children as young as 11 in Tayside have sent sexual images of themselves to another person.
Almost 60% of local teenagers will have been asked for an explicit image, with 40% taking one and 25% sharing that image.
The extent of the region’s “sexting” epidemic has been revealed by Detective Chief Inspector Iain Wales, who is responsible for child protection in Tayside.
He said Police Scotland was doing everything possible to educate young people and keep them safe.
“The statistics are worrying,” he said.
“Parents can no longer assume their teenager is safe because they are shut in their bedrooms this is where they could come to the greatest harm. They need to find a balance between privacy and secrecy, while young people must be aware that once they have posted a picture of themselves anywhere it is no longer within their control.”
Mr Wales said recent cases had seen children in Angus aged 11 and 12 coerced into sharing naked images on the internet.
In another incident, a Dundee father contacted the police after discovering explicit images of his 14-year-old daughter and of “seven or eight” boys on her mobile phone.
“Officers are aware of these cases and we’re also currently dealing with a number of similar cases in schools in Tayside at the present time,” he added.