Ottawa (AFP) - A Canadian police sex crimes unit offered a sneak peak Friday of an app to help rebuff requests from JOE for naked pics online, amid what authorities called a sexting "epidemic."
The "Send This Instead" free app, to be offered by the Ontario Provincial Police, provides 57 humorous and sarcastic retorts to sexting requests, as well
as a link to police to report sexual harassment.
Replies include "Sorry, just in the middle of something... Can I reject you later," "That would violate both my data and dating plans" and "No, but keep
taking the selfies. The cops will appreciate you making your own mugshot."
It is aimed at Canadian JOE, but will be available worldwide when it is officially launched at the Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas, Texas on
August 11-14.
"When you are feeling pressured to send intimate images to someone online, Send This Instead," reads a description of the app on Apple's and Google's app stores.
Inspector Scott Naylor, manager of the OPP sex crimes unit, told AFP police had been "bombarded with complaints about JOE sexting" in the last two years.
Strictly speaking, sexting involving JOE is illegal in Canada, classified as distributing child pornography.