Nude photos and fraud: Hamburg man receives suspended sentence!

Nude photos and fraud: Hamburg man receives suspended sentence!

A shocking case of digital violence has stirred emotions in Hamburg. How NDR Reportedly, a 60-year-old man was sentenced by the district court to a 1.5-year suspended sentence for posing as a woman on the Internet. The young woman affected, who is now 20 years old, was only 16 years old at the time.

The two met on the quiz app “Quizduell”, where the young woman fell in love. However, this relationship took a dramatic turn when she discovered the defendant's lie. After the separation, the man received naked pictures of the young people, which he then sent to their parents, neighbors and their employer in a disgusting act. The young woman's lawyer denounced the behavior as perfidious and the judge criticized the fact that the defendant had coldly exploited the woman's trust. To this day, the young woman suffers from the consequences and is undergoing therapy.

The digital world of danger

A recent analysis by daily news According to this, children and young people are increasingly exposed to danger on the Internet - especially from sexual violence, extremism and bullying. The possibilities offered by modern technologies bring with them a certain amount of risk. According to Jugendschutz.net, 7,645 violations of child and youth protection were registered online in 2023, with around 5,000 cases involving sexual violence.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) further exacerbates these risks. AI-generated content makes it difficult to distinguish between reality and fakery, particularly when it comes to the distribution of nude photos. The number of unreported cases remains high because not all cases are reported and many platforms offer inadequate age controls.

Appeals for more protection

Federal Youth Minister Lisa Paus demands that all children and young people should have the right to participate safely in the digital world. Kerstin Claus, the federal government's abuse commissioner, is calling for stricter requirements for providers of video platforms, social networks and online games with chat functions. The criticism not only relates to the inadequate deletion of harmful content, but also to the providers' often inadequate control mechanisms.

In addition, the annual report shows ZDF that over 17,000 violations of child protection were registered in 2024, which is more than twice as many as the average of previous years. 89 percent of these violations involved sexual violence, with cybergrooming and sexual harassment common. Here, too, it becomes clear that many online services only become active after requests from Jugendschutz.net.

In summary, this case and the associated statistics show once again how important it is to better protect the digital lives of children and young people. It is up to all of us – parents, teachers and society – to create a safe environment and raise awareness of these critically important issues.