Cumbria's Police & Crime Commissioner says he's "horrified" by new figures which show crimes involving indecent images of children have risen sharply.
Richard Rhodes was told at last night's executive board meeting that the number of cases in the county have tripled over the last two years.
Part of the reason for the surge is being blamed on teenagers, who have been taking images of themselves and sharing them with others.
Part of the report reads: "There has been a significant increase in the number of Indecent Images of Children (IIOC) offences over the last 3 years; 54 offences in 2014 compared with 18 in 2012. This in part to the increase in speed and storage capacity of personal computers, increase in types of messaging along with the increase in young people involved in the taking and sharing of images of themselves and their associates.
"When children take and send pictures of themselves in such circumstances the child commits an offence, these are recorded but as per ACPO guidance, the child is quite rightly not criminalised and advised about internet safety."