The Latest Craze: Sexting

The Latest Craze: Sexting
By: Alli - A 10th grade student in NJ -  June 4, 2009

Lighting up a cigarette or taking a sip of beer, most of the time, will not be instantly life-altering. Such risks will not immediately affect a loved one’s life or someone halfway around the globe. However, it takes less time to finish a drag of a cigarette or a sip of beer than it does to press the send button on a cell phone with a naked picture attached (Guerry 4). In addition to social consequences such as depression and embarrassment, he or she could be placed in jail and register as a sex offender, all in the matter of quite some little time. Although many would believe this sort of incident does not occur often, they would be surprised.  According to Teenage Research Unlimited, an international research company, one out of every five of the 1,200 students surveyed has taken part in sexting (Harsha 5). Sexting, which involves sending nude, inappropriate or explicit photos via computer or cell phone, has become a dramatic and dangerous, life-altering twenty-first century phenomenon. States across the country, attempting to control the popular trend, are working to create a sexting-free
world along with parents who are urging their children to be cautious of their actions and the possible consequences.

Sexting, a term created by the media, has been drawing attention world-wide within the past few months. This new, disturbing trend is said to be most popular among teenage high school students, taking place as young as middle school and occurring among children as young as 10 years old (Anastasia 1). Although sexting is popular among both boys and girls, more females take part in sexting than males (Reimer 7). Teenagers are willingly sending explicit photos, most often between boyfriend and girlfriend (Harsha 5). The intentions of the sender are for the pictures to remain only within the hands of the receiver, but it does not always stay that way. In fact, sometimes the explicit or inappropriate pictures are not even sent to boyfriends or girlfriends, and instead are being sent out at random. Some say it is innocent, modern-day flirting, while others disagree (Searcey 8).

“It all spreads like wildfire,” said Gigi Stone of ABC News. The pictures, once received, usually end up being shared or passed around. Boys will show off the naked pictures they receive among their peers (Stone 9).

Marisa Nightingale, senior advisor of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, refers to a recent survey conducted by her organization and expresses her view of sexting.

“It is upsetting how many young people received [pictures] and passed them around,” said Nightingale. Technology, as well, plays an enormous role in sexting. Cell phone cameras make sending pictures as easy as pie. Cell phones are also capable of forwarding pictures from phone to phone, without the original sender even knowing, or anyone else for that matter. Therefore, it cannot be taken care of, or governed, if it is not discovered (Hurrle 6).

Along with cell phones having cameras, phones also now have access to the Internet, with websites such as Facebook or Myspace that allow the receiver to post pictures online immediately (Stone 9). Nothing in cyberspace ever really gets deleted and once something is digitally live, it will always be there.

“Once [a picture] is global or viral, it will always be public…always,” said Richard Guerry, executive director of the Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication (Guerry 4). The permanence of that statement is something teenagers do not understand, along with not understanding the seriousness of the consequences of sexting.

According to writer Nsenga Burton, “Most teenagers are not equipped to handle the consequences, which can be somewhat serious” (Burton3). Explicit or inappropriate pictures can haunt teenagers for years. “Once a teen hits the send button with a message containing a sexually explicit picture, it takes about 30 seconds to reach its destination. From there, it can easily get on to the Internet and the humiliation can last a lifetime,” said Larry Hurrle of the Independent Enterprise.

One of the serious consequences of sexting is something that is way more permanent than humiliation or embarrassment…suicide. Jesse Logan, senior high school graduate of Sycamore High school in Cincinnati, Ohio, took part in sexting and sent explicit photos to her boyfriend. In response to their break-up, her ex-boyfriend forwarded the pictures all over, reaching hundreds of students in the tri-state area. Logan, after being harassed, humiliated and becoming depressed, hung herself on July 3, 2008. Parents across the country, after hearing Logan’s story, hoped that it would be a wake-up call to their teenage children, but it just was not enough (Hurrle 6).

Another serious consequence of sexting is jail. Four middle school students in Alabama were arrested back on March 4, 2008, after swapping nude photos of themselves to each other (Stone 9). Sex offender registry is also in consideration in response to the phenomenon. In Vermont, teenagers who are sexting could be prosecuted as sex offenders, even though the laws are still being decided (Hurrle 6).

Reputation and embarrassment are two of the major consequences of sexting. Even outside of high school, reputation and embarrassment still play a key role in life. When applying for future applications like jobs or colleges, a mistake made in high school could ruin the potential chances of landing the position wanted.  “It is crucial parents talk to their children about potential consequences, because while criminal charges are rare, compromising photos could easily come back to haunt the teens when they go to apply for college or their first job,” said Nightingale (Reimer 7). Sex therapist Laura Berman also urges parents to inform children
about the chance of a possible college or “prospective” employee coming across the pictures on the internet (Berman 2).

Teenagers risk the chance of predator stalkers following them.  According to Hurrle, “Sexual predators sit in front of their computers and wait for such things to come across” (Hurrle 6). Now that all of the possible consequences are out on the table, so to speak, one would wonder what could be done to possibly prevent sexting from occurring, or what is being done now to stop it.  Attorneys say the question is still up in the air whether or not participants will face prosecution for obscenity or child pornography, but there have already been cases reported demonstrating laws in action.

In Wisconsin, a 17-year-old boy is charged with possessing child pornography after posting naked pictures of his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend online. In Rochester, New York, a 16-year-old boy is facing up to seven years in prison for forwarding nude pictures of his 15-year-old girlfriend (Stone 9). Up in Ohio, two teenagers are charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for possessing nude photos of a classmate on their cell phones (Burton 3). In Idaho, there are already laws that define and restrict distribution of obscene material (Hurrle 6).

A rare case in Pennsylvania discusses an ultimatum given to a teenager who had been caught sexting. The teenager had the option to either accept the charges of child pornography or enroll in an education course about sexting. Pennsylvania District Attorney George Skumanick Jr., the man in charge of presenting the options for the teenager, says that he could have just arrested the teenager, but he did not. Some critics say he is violating the privacy of the rights of teenagers to express themselves freely, but Skumanick Jr. stands strongly by his ultimatum (Searcey 8).

Along with legal issues popping up all over the country, parents are getting involved as well by discussing sexting with their children. Parents are getting a chance to ask their children why people do this, and what their opinion of people who do this is. “It is an opportunity to ask what the diving line between public and private is,” said Nightingale (Reimer 7). Other adults are urging parents as well to speak about sexting with their children.

“Be open. Discuss it with [your children]. Talk about these things throughout their adolescence so they know when something happens they can come to you,” said Art Cyr of the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations. Hurrle also gives advice when it comes to parents and sexting (Harsha 5). “Telling a teen that sexting is not cool will get you more response than telling [your teen] that sending explicit pictures is wrong. Talk in the teen’s language to get across to the teen,” said Hurrle.

Parents are also urged to check and monitor their children’s cell phone and computer usage to make sure they are not sexting. According to Hurrle, “If you care, which I hope you do, it would be wise to check your child’s phone periodically to make sure [sexting] is not going on with your teen” (Hurrle 6).

Some schools are now actively getting involved in the fight to stop sexting, highlighting the long-term consequences. The Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication even set up a “Sexting is Stupid” program, co-founded by Guerry. The program was developed by combined education and school administrators, informational technology and juvenile safety experts, general and child psychology specialists, and child advocacy legal counselors.

“We directly communicate our concept of Digital Responsibility through technical and psychological methods, illustrating not only potential consequences but how what many think can not happen to them, actually can and will quite easily,” said Guerry (Guerry 4).

So now that one knows everything the country is doing to help stop sexting, it is time to explain why teenagers are acting in such a way. Girls think it is flirty and fun, while guys think it is attractive. “It ratchets up sexual expectation when the two parties meet in person,” said Susan Reimer of the Baltimore Sun.

According to Bill Albert, the chief program director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, “The number two reason girls give for [sexting] is as a ‘gift’ to their boyfriend” (Reimer 7). Berman believes otherwise.

“Facebook, along with other networking sites, the media, and MTV, display images of women that are much sexualized. So it seems to normal to put yourself out there in an overtly sexual way; the social norms have changed and social access… it is the perfect storm” (Berman 2).  That it is, since digital technology is rapidly evolving (Guerry 4).

“Hormones do strange things to teenage minds,” said Hurrle (Hurrle 6). According to a Tween Channel Survey that asked 303 girls their opinion, 82.2% said they sent pictures to get attention, while other reasons included to be cool, to be like the popular girls, or to find a boyfriend (Anastasia 1).

So how many teenagers are actually sexting? “Teenagers say it happens almost everyday,” said Keagan Harsha of WCAX News (Harsha 5).

When the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and www.cosmogirl.com partnered together to create a survey, over 1200 teens and young adults, ages 13-19 and 20-26 were asked questions. 40 percent of teens and 60 percent of young adults are sexting, or they have sent or posted explicit or inappropriate pictures of themselves, most to be fun or flirtatious (Reimer 7).

A Tween Channel survey, after surveying 303 girls, found that 30 percent have sent or received explicit pictures and 67 percent have posted an explicit video or photo on the Internet (Anastasia 1).  “Young people have been flirting and pushing the boundaries since the beginning of time,” said Nightingale (Reimer 7).

A recent survey conducted at Souderton Area High School found that of the 47 girls surveyed, ages 15-18, 34 percent of girls have been shown a picture of someone else that was sent to a male. 100 percent of the girls claim that they are aware of the dangers of sexting, while 55 percent know someone who has sent explicit photos in the past.

“Sexting is not the first or the last digital problem we will deal with. [We want to] ensure that the digital generation understands how to use digital technologies responsibly and not to play catch up and deal with the issues after they have happened,” said Guerry (Guerry 4).

Sexting, being a popular activity among the younger generation, is not only dangerous but can ruin one’s life. If the dramatic consequences of sexting are not expressed repetitively and heavily, teenagers will never understand. Before researching this topic, I already had a strong opinion of sexting and people who take part in the act. After researching, my opinion has only strengthened and become more serious in my mind. I have learned that by simply sending an explicit picture to someone through a cell phone, or posting an “innocent” picture on the Internet, a life could be damaged and ruined forever. You would be smart to never take part
in sexting, and even if you have in the past, you now have all the more reasons to never do it again.

Works Cited:

1. Anastasia. “Please Stop the ‘Sexting’ Insanity.” Ypulse (21
April 2009) 2 pages on-line Ypulse. April 22
http://www.ypulse.com/please-stop-the-sexting-insanity

2. Published Interview Berman, Laura “Everyone’s Doing What?” By
Aimee Lee Ball. Splashlight April 2009

3. Burton, Nsenga “Sexting: Truth and Consequences” Rushmore Drive
(10 March 2009) on-line. Rushmore Drive. April 24
http://www.rushmoredrive.com/Editorial/sexting_Truth_and_consequences.asap?fid=4f3

4. Guerry, Richard. Personal Interview. 29 April 2009

5. Harsha, Keagan. “Is Your Child ‘Sexting?” WCAX News (3 January
2009) on-line. WCAX April 22.
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?s=9612361&nav=menu183_2

6. Hurrle, Larry “Sexting takes 30 seconds; humiliation lasts a
lifetime.” Independent Enterprise (April 23 2009) 2 pages on-line.
Independent Enterprise. April 24
http://www.ind-ent.com/articles/2009/04/23/news/02.txt

7. Reimer, Susan “The Middle Ages: Young people, texting and
sexting.” The Baltimore Sun (21 April 2009) 2 pages on-line. The
Daily News online. April 22
http://www.tdn/articles/2009/01/06this_day/doc4962b83d1799868969063.txt

8. Searcey, Dionne. “Sexting: Pornography or Modern-Day Flirting?”
The Juggle (April 21 2009) on-line. WSJ Blogs. April 21
Http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2009/04/21/sexting-pornography-or-modern-day-flirting/

9. Stone, Gigi “Sexting’ Teen Can Go Too Far” ABC News (13 March
2009) 3 pages on-line. ABC News. April 22
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/worldnews/story?id=64568348page=1