What Parents Should Know About Sexting

What Is Sexting and How Does It Happen?

Sexting (or “sex texting”) involves sending or receiving sexually graphic or provocative photographs, messages, or videos via smartphones or the internet. In this article, find out what parents should know about sexting.

Sexting involves sending:

Text messages that suggest or refer to sex actions but are not explicit enough to be considered explicit images or videos.

Why Do Teens Engage in Sex Abuse?

There are numerous ways for teens to get online, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Teenagers may easily produce and share private photographs and videos of themselves online without their parent’s knowledge, thanks to services like Instagram and Snapchat.

It’s possible that girls who sext do so as a joke, a way to get attention, or in response to peer or male pressure. The “pressure from friends” is a common excuse given by men. If you’re one of those people, it’s almost like a natural part of your life.

When filthy celebrity images and videos go public, kids gain some support for their sexual curiosity. Many times the results are more popular and reality television shows rather than damaged professions.

How Can Sexting Be Harmful?

Messages, images, and videos shared via the internet or smartphones are never completely private or anonymous. Instantly, the entire world can see what you’ve done.

Even if the image, video, or text was intended only for one person, it’s out of your teen’s control once it’s transmitted or posted. Although your adolescent may believe it has vanished from the internet, it may remain visible to a large number of individuals.

An image of your teenager that is embarrassing or embarrassing could be distributed to others, which could result in shame, embarrassment, and public mockery for your kid. Perhaps worse, it could harm your teen’s self-esteem and even lead to depression and other mental health difficulties.

Also, there may be legal ramifications to this. A sex offender registration may be required in some places if a kid is charged with a crime for texting sexually explicit photos.

Students and job applicants who engage in risky internet behavior may be haunted by it for years. Many institutions and employers use internet profiles to see if an applicant is mature or if they have a lousy sense of judgment.

What can I do to help my adolescent son or daughter?

Impulsive behavior is difficult for teenagers to comprehend in the long term. They may not be aware of the dangers of revealing too much in the present.

Inquire with your children about the enduring nature of digital media and how it affects their daily lives. A racy photo received to a crush’s phone can simply be forwarded to pals, uploaded on the internet, or printed and handed around. After a breakup, it’s possible that a photo sent to a boyfriend or girlfriend could cause complications if it’s seen by someone else or disseminated.

So, how can you get your kids to listen to you? Let students know that they are responsible for their own actions and that they can withstand the pressure of their peers. There should be more conversations like these, not only when something goes wrong.

Emphasize that once an image or message has been delivered, it cannot be retrieved. Other people who aren’t supposed to see it could and probably will come into contact with it. As a rule of thumb, teach children to ask themselves “WWGT” (“What would grandma think?”). They should not send anything to Grandma if she shouldn’t see it.

The repercussions of sexting should be made plain to your children. Take away their devices or put restrictions on how and when they can use them if you need to.

Meaningful articles you might like: 7 Tips for Preparing Children for Online and Blended Learning, Ways to Prevent Online Bullying, The Best Ways to Discuss Online Scams with Your Teens