In this period of confinement, more and more young girls are facing cyberbullying with a huge comeback of "ficha" accounts on the various social networks.
Containment can sometimes be dangerous for women. While reports of spousal violence are on the rise, young girls who are often minors are faced with another threat, cyberbullying. In this period of social distancing, accounts baptized "ficha", that is to say "hit the poster" in verlan, flourish on social networks, in particular on the very popular Snapchat. The creators of these accounts post naked photos of young girls without their consent.
Feminist associations are increasingly concerned about the resurgence of this type of cyberbullying. "(URGENT) On Snapchat, icha ficha’ accounts are created by department and divulge sexual photos and videos of young girls. This is serious and prohibited. Call Snapchat to intervene. RT this message!"said the collective UsAll via his account Twitter.
These accounts have multiplied via social networks since the beginning of containment because they are perceived by their creators as simple entertainment in order to pass the time. Activist Hind Ayadi met one of the boys behind a "ficha" account. The latter assured him that generally they "throw this because they are bored".
"We have very clearly seen this theme resurface since confinement. It is very clear, and it is not specific to a geographic area, even if it affects more large urban centers. Unfortunately, when people are bored, it keeps them busy harming others.", deplores Justine Atlan, executive director of the association e-Childhood, which also manages the anonymous and free platform to help victims of harassment Listening.
But what appears to be just a hobby for some may actually turn out to be hell for the victims and cause disastrous consequences.
A nightmare for the victims
The phenomenon of accounts "ficha" has been gaining momentum in recent weeks. Some victims understand that they have had photos or videos stolen without their knowledge, while others are victims of "revenge porn", often from an ex-boyfriend. Generally, their name, first name, nickname or even their telephone number are disclosed at the same time as the photographs.. Long forgotten photos sometimes resurface and the nightmare begins again. Some even go so far as to post images found on pornographic sites to associate them with young girls from their neighborhood or high school.
Feminist associations are concerned because the victims, often very young, do not know how to handle the situation and refuse to talk to their relatives. Last week in Le Havre, 16-year-old girl died after defenestering herself. Her mother believes that it was the harassment of which she was the victim that pushed her to do this. "Photos circulated", she explained to Actu76.
Self-help groups to report illegal content
Faced with the explosion of cyberbullying, many informal groups are created to report illegal content in real time so that platforms close "ficha" accounts. This is generally quick although the speed of deletion depends on the social networks used. However, the pandemic due to the new coronavirus disrupts the functioning of the moderation teams. As a result, the processing time following a report can take much longer than usual. Many then try to warn associations so that information is relayed as quickly as possible. Indeed, reports from associations are treated as a priority by platforms.
"We were able to obtain the deletion of around sixty reported accounts. Given the long-standing cooperation with them, the networks, including Snapchat, are very reactive on our reports." says Justine Atlan to World.
Cybercrime on the rise but few complaints
According to Listening, the proliferation of "ficha" accounts is also accompanied by an increase in attempts to extort (extortion using sexual images) or to blackmail intimate images. Some creators of these accounts are also trying to earn money from stolen images by selling "nudes".
"Containment has a triple amplifying effect. Firstly because there is an increase in the time spent on the Internet and on social networks – so authors have more time to publish the content, and this content has more audience than usual, but above all, the impact is stronger on the victim, because he is confined and therefore isolated, which is why there is an urgent need to act."said lawyer Rachel-Flore Pardo, who took up the file and made a report to the prosecution.
However, Despite rising cybercrime and a high number of victims, complaints are very rare. Young girls are frequently overwhelmed with shame and are afraid to tell an adult about it. Often, they are unaware that the distribution of their photos without their consent is a crime.
According to Street Press, the National Police Information and Communication Service (Sicop) explains "have received very few reports so far" and not be able to open an investigation due to a lack of evidence. It is however possible to report these accounts on the Pharos platform, dedicated to cybercrime.
How to know if my child is being harassed
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