The Tumblr blog where explicit ‘selfies’ of five young Maltese women were posted has been closed down.

For the past two days, their nude self-portrait photographs had been widely shared on social networks and mobile phone apps. One of the women claimed her phone had been stolen and she had taken the pictures to share with her then boyfriend.

This incident has no precedent in Malta, according to a lawyer specialising in online data.

“So far, the only prosecutions we’ve had have always been related to child porn. Here we are talking about adult porn, between what we are presuming to be consenting adults,” said Michael Zam-mit Maempel.

Distributing, circulating or publicly displaying pornographic material in Malta is prohibited by article 208 of the Criminal Code. However, as this case is virtual, potential action is not clear.

“The police can press charges against who put up the website or who they feel has handled the material but how will the police be able to pinpoint where it originated,” Dr Zammit Maempel asked.

It will be interesting to see what charges the police are going to come up with

“You’re hunting a needle in a haystack. It will be interesting to see what charges the police are going to come up with, if they are going to come up with anything,” he said.

The Tumblr blog that originally invited viewers to submit photos of “Maltese girls caught on camera” is based in the US, making it hard even for the Data Protection Commissioner to take action, despite the breach of data protection.

“If the photo has been stolen then it’s not a question of data protection but a criminal act. If it was not stolen, we are talking about equipment that is not based in Malta. I have no jurisdiction over it, even if the parties involved are Maltese,” Data Protection Commissioner Joseph Ebejer told Times of Malta. The inci-dent highlighted the dangers of young people using technology to share sexually-explicit photos with others and spurred concern about potential cy-ber bullying.

Children’s Commissioner Helen D’Amato said about the young women: “I don’t want to be judgemental. I would want them to get the support and encourage them to phone our helpline 179 or go to besmartonline.org.mt. These girls do not need condemnation but our support.”

Psychologist Fleur Mifsud Bons said that because the women in question had now been publicly shamed, it could affect their developing sense of identity.

“There is then a high risk of mental health difficulties such as depression as well as suicide,” she said.

Due to the leaps in technology, adolescents today faced too much information before they were emotionally ready to process it, she said.

“They know too much when they are not yet ready. We live in a world that is highly sexualised and young people are exposed to this. However, they do not yet have the necessary emotional maturity and discretion to be able to understand the consequences of acting on their impulses or of becoming involved in sexual relationships at an early age,” Ms Mifsud Bons said.

If the teenagers understood – from society, peers, boyfriends – that they were valued and seen solely for their sexuality, then they would most overtly display this part of their personalities, she said.

Labour MEP candidate Miriam Dalli appealed on Facebook for a campaign so that young people are made aware of the devastating effects of online bullying.

Tips for parents

• Have open conversations with children about the social media and their effects on sexuality and other hot topics.

• Do not lecture or be judgemental but allow the young person to think and reflect on an issue and evaluate the effects of acting without thinking.

• Give them the tools to be able to think about consequences.