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A recently published study from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy indicates that over 20% of teens (ages 13-19) and an incredible 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) have shared nude or semi-nude images of themselves either over mobile phone text messaging or by posting online. Teenage girls are slightly more likely to do this than boys and a very distressing 11% of the young teen girls (ages 13-16) admitted to sending inappropriate photos of themselves.

Recent reports from The Nielsen Company and the Pew Research Center show several factors that should be causing concern for parents and guardians. These issues are also an opportunity for software solutions companies. There is an increase in the percentage of teens that own cell phones, the amount of texting they do, and potentially much more serious the number of youths that are occupied with “sexting” – the sending of potentially illegal images or text messages from cell phones.

Why the fuss and bother?  Just innocent fun, youth discovering their new sexuality? 

You might want to reconsider.  Sending a sexually explicit picture of someone underage is a sex crime.  Young people are being arrested, convicted and having to register as sex offenders.  They are risking more than emotional distress and humiliation, convictions can trigger a restriction of school activities, such as sports, denial of college admission, and denial of student loan eligibility, and losing jobs.  A felony conviction may also affect future employment opportunities, including law enforcement and other high-security clearance positions.   In other words, they’re ruining their lives over a little "innocent" fun.

There isn't anything innocent about it.  Consider that if a sixteen year old sends a sexting image of themselves – they could be breaking child pornography statues in most states. 

Getting convicted in criminal court for “sexting” will result in other serious consequences.  In addition to the potential jail sentence and/or fine imposed by a judge, registration may be stipulated with the Sex Offender Registration Board for the next 20 years.  Furthermore, the criminal court may order the surrender and destruction of the computer or digital devices used.

As sending text messages from cellular phones has become an attraction in youth social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly anxious about the role of cell phones in the sexual lives of teenagers.   A new research study from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) determined that 4% of cell-owning youths ages twelve to seventeen say they have transmitted sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to other people via text messaging.  This practice is commonly referred to “sexting” in today’s vernacular. Additionally, fifteen percent say they have received these kinds of images images of someone they already know by way of text message.

According to a study from market researchers The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American teens transmit an unbelievable average of ten SMS text messages per hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and most likely a lot during their classes too!

By examining more than forty thousand monthly US mobile telecom bills, Nielsen concluded that American teenagers sent an average of an inconceivable 3,146 texts each month during the third quarter 2009.  

Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – from age 9 to 12 sent about 1,100 text messages every month.   That equates to four every hour they were in school or not sleeping.  To put that in perspective, the average number of monthly texts sent by all cell phone users collectively was a little more than 500. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users ages 9-12 years old increased messaging usage by eight percent just about doubling the quantity of text messages.

Focus group findings show that sending provocative images happens usually under one of three different scenarios:  The first, exchanges of images just between two romantic partners;
the next, lists exchanges between partners that are then shared outside the relationship; followed by, exchanges between people who are not yet in a relationship, but where often one {party hopes to be}.

Teenagers were interviewed and gave researchers various explanations behind the impulse to participate in sexting.  These included the researcher’s interpretation that “…sexually suggestive images had become a form of relationship currency,”; that sexting images “… are shared as a part of or instead of sexual activity,” and that SMS text message sexting is a way of starting or maintaining a relationship.   Sensitive images are also passed along to friends “… for their entertainment value, as a joke, or for fun.”

Teens also described to researchers the pressure they feel to share these types of images.  Not surprisingly the report also reveals that teens that are intensive users of  cellular phones are more likely to receive sexually suggestive images.  For these youths, the phone has become such an important conduit for communication and content of all kinds that doing without it is unlikely.

The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teen years mixed with constant connection using cellular phones and other mobile devices “…creates a ‘perfect storm’ for sexting,” said Pew’s Amanda Lenhart.  “Teenagers have always grappled with issues around sex and relationships, but their coming-of-age mistakes and transgressions have never been so easily transmitted and archived for others to see.”

Despite the indications that per user usage has peaked, Nielsen estimates that overall text message usage will increase as the avid user population ages and entices the older generations to text with them in order to keep in contact with them.  Existing SMS users will continue to text extensively and as tweenagers become teenagers they are in all probability going to follow the trends of texting established by current teens.  The average number of text messages per user has increased every year, and there is room for growth.

If you’ve got children then in all likelihood not shocked by the usage statistics. But chances are you’re also either in denial that your children are involved in sexting, or you’re actively seeking solutions to the problem. In all probability most parents can’t believe their teenagers are involved with sexting, or they are looking for ways to find out.   While parents may fume that all the texts their teens and tweens are sending are going to break the bank, Nielsen research indicates the average cost of a single text message is only about one penny.  The real issue affecting families is not so much how often teens use their phones but has more to do with how they use their phones, and when they are using them.

Sexting is a very complex topic.  As a result, it is very difficult to provide advice on how best to handle these situations.  The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children policy talks about that there are four roles to every sexting case: someone seen in the picture, the person  who took the photo, the distributor(s) of the image, and the recipient(s) of the image.  In some cases one person may assume more than one of these roles (e.g., a child takes a sexually explicit photo, of herself and sends it to a classmate). In other situations, multiple people may take on a single role (e.g., a child takes a sexually explicit picture of himself and sends it to a classmate who then forwards the photo to the entire high school senior class). It is important to consider the intent and motivation of each of the parties in every situation.

The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children advocates parents monitor cell phone use.  A workable technological solution available for parents and guardians to discover what their {children are doing~what’s going on with their children}  is cell phone technology. 
Famous rights lawyer Gloria Allred revealed the legal penalties of “sexting” that parents and teens may be aware of:
Teens involved in “sexting” activities – those that transmit sexually explicit images, are at risk of potential criminal charges for child pornography OR criminal use of a communication device, and in some states, face the exposure of having to register as a sex offender – a disgrace that could haunt them the rest of their lives
Not only do teens who occupied with “sexting” face the risk of criminal prosecution and the prospects of prison and/or probation, which will potentially remain on their criminal record for the indefinite future, they also face the prospect of the possibility of being required by the Court to register as sex offenders.

Sexting can be against the law.  Parents are responsible to do something about it.  Especially when low cost solutions can be ordered over the internet.     A really great software package that includes remote control of cell phone settings, and combines Phone GPS Tracking  with SMS text message, Call Log,  MMS multi-media message monitoring, and a web account for storage and review is PhoneBeagle.  

Follow this link if you are interested in    Mobile Monitoring Software that is compatible with BlackBerry  and  Android  Smartphones,.    Visit this link for more information regarding the latest software for 
Parental Monitoring of Mobile Phones .

Tags: cell phone monitoring, mobile phone monitoring, parental monitoring, sexting, texting