Child Focus and Wunderman Thompson reactivate a suicide victim’s phone to fight online abuse

More and more young people are becoming victims of 'exposing.' This is when their naked images are spread online without their consent. Glenn was one such victim. When he was 15, he took a nude with his mobile phone and sent it in confidence, only to find it on the internet. Shortly afterwards, Glenn took his own life. On 18 November, the European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Wunderman Thompson Benelux and Child Focus reactivated his phone to better protect other minors online. 

Call Glenn

In 2022, Child Focus, the Belgian Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children, opened a total of 151 cases of transgressive sexting and exposing. This is when young people are pressured into sending or sharing sexually suggestive messages or images without consent. The organisation has observed a new phenomenon in recent years: these types of images, often along with the victims’ private information, are being spread via social media platforms such as Snapchat, WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, or Telegram, both within so-called exposing groups and elsewhere. Victims in these groups are humiliated, insulted, threatened, and even blackmailed. That’s why Wunderman Thompson and Child Focus are launching this year’s campaign ‘Call Glenn’. 

The phone as a weapon against exposing  

Glenn's phone has been reactivated by Wunderman Thompson. But this time, it is to protect other young people from transgressive sexting and exposing. If you call Glenn today, you’ll be adding your name to a petition calling for better online protection for minors. You can do this by calling +32 492 79 58 30, the same number friends and family used to reach Glenn up until six years ago."Glenn once used his phone to take a nude photo. It was when that image ended up on the internet that his mobile phone became a murder weapon. That is why we now want to use it as a weapon against the online distribution of nude images," said Kasper Janssens, Executive Creative Director at Wunderman Thompson. 

Glenn… is no longer available

Of course, when you call Glenn today, you won’t reach him. But you will hear him saying his name briefly when the phone goes to voicemail. You’ll then discover why he’s unavailable. To record this modified message, the original voicemail voice of Glenn’s provider was used. After sharing Glenn’s tragic story, you are asked not to leave just any message after the tone, but to say your first and last name to sign the petition. 

Belgian celebrities are calling Glenn to fight exposing  

In the campaign, Wunderman Thompson and Child Focus are urging people to call Glenn. The campaign has received support from many well-known Belgian names including Pommelien Thijs, Frances Lefebure, James Cooke, and Elisabeth Lucie Baeten. And Sean Dhondt and Celine Van Ouytsel have also joined the fight against exposing. They themselves have experienced this phenomenon after nude images or deepfakes – AI-generated nude images – of them were spread online. In videos, they can be seen calling Glenn and then saying their names before encouraging others to call Glenn’s number as well. 

A call for missed calls  

Besides the online videos featuring Belgian celebrities, a TV spot, radio spot, digital out of homes and an online campaign film were also made. Each time, Glenn’s mobile phone is the focus of attention. The website also features the emotional testimony of Glenn’s mother. Victims can find help there and report incidents of exposing or abusive images. Additionally, the number of missed calls to Glenn’s phone is also being tracked. That’s important because every missed call will be used to petition for better online protection for young people. 

Online actions with offline consequences  

Child Focus wants to use the petition to put pressure on politicians to work on laws that will lead to a society free of child sexual abuse. The organisation also wants to see more investment in prevention and support for victims. Through the campaign, Child Focus hopes to persuade bystanders to leave these groups. And make perpetrators realise that victim-blaming, slut-shaming, exposing, or doxing are criminal offences with extremely serious real-life consequences. Above all, Child Focus wants to stand up for victims and urges them to seek help. So that their story does not end like Glenn's. ​ 

Campaign goal reached in just one day

In Belgium, at least 25,000 people need to sign a petition to become a valid part of the political agenda. This goal was achieved within a day after the campaign went live. And after just one week, already 37,000 people have contacted Glenn, and the calls for change continue to pour in. Child Focus will soon present Glenn’s phone to parliament, along with their demands for better online protection of minors. Following the campaign, Glenn’s phone number will be redirected to Child Focus, making it a permanent helpline for victims of online abuse.

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