Comments on: Please Stop The 'Sexting' Insanity

By: Ben Hur

Ben Hur — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:12:39 +0000

I agree. I am currently going to middle school and it sickens me how many girls willingly give out photos of themselves. I always delete the ones I get, because I believe that they should have a greater respect for themselves and other people. Some people don't want to see those photos, so it is rather selfish to entice people who do not want to be enticed. God show us mercy that this will stop.

By: Pascale

Pascale — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:58:17 +0000

I am a school counseling intern looking for balanced information to present this topic to a class of juniors. Doing research on this subject is quite challenging. The Cosmogirl stats and Susan Lipkin's research is what most circulates and has been picked up by mainstream news media. The latter is less casual about sexting as many of you appear, if not so much about the possible legal ramifications are about the social consequences. Personally, I think sexting is just a manifestation of what has been gotten most attention in popular culture: young female stars openly flaunting their sexuality.

By: You obviously don't have siblings or kids

You obviously don't have siblings or kids — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:37:46 +0000

You make it seem like there is irrational panic about this. It is an epidemic. I'm 18 years old and let me tell you that if you work hard enough you can get pictures from any girl. It's disgusting and shows a complete lack of self respect. You know there sites which people upload photos of their girlfriends or pics they get via text, and the age limits are barely enforced. I hate this generation.

By: Eve

Eve — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:20:26 +0000

So far, I have raised 4 teenagers with one more to go. My 14 year daughter just recieved her cammera phone 1 week ago, already she has been caught sending & recievung sexually EXPLICIT content. so please…Don't fool yourselves that this is not an all too real epidemic. 3 of the 4 kids, 2 girls & 1 boy have been caught. Now that we are getting the parentol control thing in place…we hope to make it better without taking phones and computers completely away.

By: SweetBlood

SweetBlood — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:21:53 +0000

PLZ READ THIS !!!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sexting also known as "Flirtexting", is bad because it promotes sex and show a lack of respect for your self and others ! I think its stupid ! Girls do it to get a boyfriend or make their Ex's jelous ! It needs to be stop, once and for all, it unhealthy, stupid, and wrong !!! =[ ~~~~~~~~~~

____SWEETBLOOD____ =]

By: Ben Leis

Ben Leis — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:47:12 +0000

Eric,

The consequences I was thinking of were parental/scholastic reprimands and penalties along with social stigmas more so than the legal ramifications that do exist.

Anastasia,

I agree with you and unfortunately the media is going to do their best to sensationalize all this to increase their readership. Parents don't need to panic, it is very normal as you stated, but they should communicate with their children about the consequences of sexting. The media can be credited for being a catalyst and providing talking points for new parent/children conversations.

By: Eric Jaffa

Eric Jaffa — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:03:30 +0000

Most teens who sext don't suffer any major negative consequences.

A tiny percentage do because a prosecutor threatened them.

If state legislatures clarify laws to protect these teenagers from prosecutors, then major negative consequences for sexting will become even rarer.

By: Anastasia

Anastasia — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:29:59 +0000

Ben, I'm not saying it isn't happening. Kids have always written sexual notes or talked about sex on the phone before everything went digital (as you noted). It's part of going through puberty and experimentation. Just as kids have always bullied. And I wrote in my post that it's an important issue to discuss, especially with the public, viral nature of the internet and cell phone technology, which can amplify any existing behavior. I'm all for talking about it. I'm just arguing that the way this particular research is spun as well as a lot of the media coverage of the issue contributes to the overall sense of panic many adults/parents have around what youth are doing with technology in general (I speak to parents quite a bit so I know the panic is real). I also don't believe self selecting online surveys tell the whole story. They offer a snapshot of what some youth are thinking and doing -- and if the proper disclaimers are given, interesting data, but consumers of this data have to know that it will be skewed.

By: Ben Leis

Ben Leis — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:33:55 +0000

Sexting #4 was posted in January of 2009

I didn't have to go past the first page on urban dictionary to see that someone else posted: "like phone sex except throught texting" in may of 2006.

I knew I couldn't get the credit :)

Sexting is a real issue among teens and I applaud someone for taking the time to do research on it. It will cause much more emotional damage when someone can with one click share a message or photo over facebook, email, group text, etc. Sexting allows immature youths the false confidence to experiment and test each other sexually without the immediate awkwardness of a face to face encounter. Unlike phone sex where the conversation ends with the line being disconnected and picks up with rumors the next day, messaging leaves a very tangible social footprint or record that can have more real consequences.

By: anastasia

anastasia — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:17:13 +0000

Interesting. I asked teens about the term when the story was breaking and got a lot of blank stares after using that term. Maybe you invented it! ;-)

See also, number 4 in the Urban Dictionary:

4. sexting

a word that the media made up after some Greensburg Salem school district's principals invaded the students privacy by taking their phone and then felt the need to go through the students messages and then reported it to the police.

i bet our principals feel like badasses now since they got their school on the news for "sexting", when teenagers don't even call it that.