The Australian Federal Police is investigating a pornographic website targeting Australian schoolgirls, and evaluating whether it can shut it down.
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The website, which is easily accessible via a Google search, allows users to swap pictures of naked teenagers without their knowledge or consent
Participants are also encouraged to upload photos of students from a particular school or suburb.
One thread urges men to submit photos of "Werribee chicks", while another calls for "newy [Newcastle] girls".
More than 2000 pictures of schoolgirls from 71 schools across Australia have reportedly been published on the site since it was set up in December 2015.
An Australian Federal Police spokeswoman told Fairfax Media authorities had launched an investigation.
"The AFP is currently liaising with its domestic and international law enforcement partners and relevant government agencies to evaluate this matter and to determine appropriate courses of action," she said.
"It is important to note that creating, accessing or distributing child pornography is a serious offence, even if you are a child yourself.
"Child pornography offences have a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment."
State police departments, including Victoria Police, have launched their own investigations.
A spokesman for the Victorian Department of Education confirmed the department is assisting police with their enquiries.
"It is disgraceful to see Victorian students being targeted by this highly inappropriate website," the spokesman said.
"The online exploitation of young people is a very serious issue that can have serious ramifications for those involved.
"We are working with the schools affected to ensure support is available for any students or staff who may need it."
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the federal minister for women, Michaela Cash, are being urged to shut down the website by any means.
A Change.org petition by The Red Heart Campaign is calling on the federal government step in and put an end to the "vile and misogynistic" forum.
"If Mr Turnbull and Ms Cash are serious about encouraging respectful male behaviour towards Australian women and girls, they need to take a stand by punishing the men who operate this group and the males who contribute to it," the petition reads.
"Everyone involved in this forum must be shown there is no place in our society for men and boys who treat women and girls like sex trophies."
Acting Children's eSafety Commissioner, Andree Wright, has encouraged victims and their families to come forward with any information that could assist authorities – for example, the time the photo was taken.
"Because the threshold for proving age can be quite a high bar, if we're to refer material to overseas partners, they need to know the girls is definitely underage," she said.
"We have worked with a number of girls in that situation to help them get the images removed, to receive counselling, to work with their schools or even their families if we think that will assist."
Ms Wright also said young people needed to be aware that photos published online could be manipulated.
For example, the commission has dealt with cases where young girls have said their face has been photoshopped onto the body of a naked woman.
"Be careful when you post images online, because images can be used in other contexts or manipulated," she said.
