Think Before You Send
Tips to Prevent Sexting for Teens
06-13-2018
A few simple tips and things to consider before you snap that picture.
- Think about the consequences of taking, sending, or forwarding a sexual picture of someone else, even if it's of you. You could get kicked off of sports teams, face humiliation, lose educational opportunities, and even face a police investigation.
- Never take images of yourself that you wouldn't want everyone- you classmates, your teachers, your family, or your employer- to see.
- Before hitting send, remember that you can't control where this image may travel. What you send to a boyfriend or girldfriend could easily end up with their friends, and their friends' friends, and so on...
- If you forward a sexual picutre of someone without their consent, you are violating their trust and exposing them to potential ridicule. It's not up to you to decide who should see their body, so don't forward the image to anyone.
- If anyone pressures you to send a sexual picture, don't give in and talk to an adult you trust. Remember that anyone who tries to get you to do something you are uncomfortable with is probably not trustworthy.
Visit MissingKids.org/NetSmartz for more on digital safety issues. There you'll find helpful videos, printable tip sheets, presentations, and other activities