Authorities are investigating a Facebook page that popped up containing nude photos of more than a dozen girls at Edgewood High School in Maryland. Police don’t believe the girls posted the pictures themselves and are actively searching for their source.

“Cybersafety is an issue that we have been working proactively to address with local and state law enforcement and other stakeholders in the community,” said Hartford County Public Schools in a released statement. “Unfortunately, this is an increasing trend and we will continue to work collaboratively with community partners to bring awareness of the resulting risks and consequences of this type of behavior.”

With the rise of photo-sharing programs like Instagram and Snapchat, more and more incriminating pictures are being archived by malicious parties and finding their way onto the web. The speedy response from Facebook and law enforcement is encouraging, but unfortunately, digital images have a tendency to live forever.

Nobody deserves to be the victim of a crime like this, but Internet users can take simple steps to ensure they don’t fall prey to scams like this one. It’s best to assume that no online communication is secure, so don’t send anything via email that you absolutely wouldn’t want to see the light of day. Also, keep your anti-virus programs up to date to ensure the security of your hard drive. After sensitive information like this is stolen or leaked, the proverbial toothpaste is difficult to put back in the tube.

A spokesman for the local Sheriff’s office stated, “parents need to talk to their children about taking these kinds of pictures and what the outcome can be.

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