Primary pupils in Midlothian added to WhatsApp group with ‘nude photo requests’

Children at a primary school in Midlothian were added to a WhatsApp group in which they were told to send explicit photographs.

Police have launched inquiries into the malicious group, which told pupils “not to let parents know” they had been added to the chat.

The pupils affected are in primary six at Paradykes Primary in Loanhead. Such pupils are typically aged nine or 10.

A spokesperson for Midlothian Council said support was available to children affected by the incident.

The local authority said the group had not been accessed using council-issued devices given to children at the start of term on Wednesday.

Parents were sent a warning to check their children’s phones and remove them from the group by the school on Thursday.

An email from the school’s head teacher, seen by BBC Scotland News, said some of the messages were “highly inappropriate, referring explicitly to body parts” and “requesting nude photos”.

It added that 84 people were members of the group, warning it “went beyond” children solely from Paradykes.

It is understood some of the children were targeted on their personal devices.

A council spokesperson said: “The head teacher at Paradykes Primary emailed P6 parents today after a parent reported concerns about the online safety of children on a WhatsApp group.

“The head teacher has passed the matter to the police, and the council will issue guidance to all parents in Midlothian on how to keep their child safe online.

“Support is available to any Paradykes Primary School pupil upset by this incident, if required.”

Guidelines issued by WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook parent company Meta, state the messaging service should not be used by those under the age of the 13.

It was lowered from 16 last year.

Police Scotland said inquiries were ongoing, but were at an early stage.

A WhatsApp spokesperson added: “We give all users options to control who can add them to groups.

“The first time you receive a message from an unknown number and when you are added to a group, we give you more context and the option to exit or block and report.”