Practice Safe Sexting

Your mother probably warned you never to say anything you don't want repeated. The same mentality holds true for sexting. In the age of technology, things you want to keep private quickly can become available for public consumption. From text messages to photos to videos, nothing is safe. And once you put something out there, don't even think about going back. We have no problem warning our teens and children about the dangers of sexting, but do you practice what you preach? If you think sexting is childish behavior, think again. A survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that 17 percent of adults from ages 30 to 49 have received sexts, while 5 percent admit to having sent them. Sexting seems like all fun and games until someone gets hurt... and that someone easily can be you, your partner or your family. It's all too tempting to engage in sexual banter via text, instant message, email and other electronic communications. Maybe it's with your partner, maybe it's with someone else.


Regardless of who you're doing the seemingly harmless deed with, the consequences can be catastrophic. Remember, once you've sent a message or picture, your digital footprint has made its mark. Your private correspondence is out in the open, and you are now at the mercy of the recipient. While "I promise I'll delete it immediately" might sound great in theory, assume that your goodies aren't going anywhere...except to someone else. The recipient can text, tweet, post, forward and do any number of things with your messages or photos. And if said recipient isn't your partner, you could be setting yourself up for some major heartache if your spouse ever uncovers your X-rated interaction. Should your affair ever go awry, you could be seriously screwed if your former flame decides to publicize your dirty deeds. Ask yourself how you would feel if your co-workers, employers, neighbors, friends or anybody else was privy to these private messages. The last thing you want is your extracurricular activities coming back to bite you in the...iPhone.