Police warn parents about texting codes used by teenagers

Parents are being warned about texting 'codes' used by some teenagers to disguise their online messages.
TextingTexting
Texting

A lengthy list of 'codes' have been published by the PSNI to make parents aware of the underlying meaning of 'text talk'

In a Tweet, Newry and Mourne PSNI, also ask 'Understand txt alk? Thot u did? Ave a lk at ur kids devices & use this 2 translate! Pls share It's 1drfl when you get to know it! TLK2UL8R'.

While some of the abbreviations are relatively bland, such as 'HAK', meaning 'hugs and kisses' or 'WYCM' for 'Will you call me?', others are much darker.

Det Supt George Clarke told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster that some of the more obscene messages were a "reality".

"Parents must be involved in their children's lives online and well as offline.

"You wouldn't allow children to go off in a car with people you don't know, so let's be careful about who they're interacting with online," he said.