What This Means to You

One of the prime responsibilities of parents is to teach their kids how to take responsibility for their own safety and their own actions. Some instant technologies with long-lasting consequences make that tougher — typical childhood and teen experimentation that went unrecorded in the past now can be captured forever. Sexting is a good example of that.

It can be hard for teens to grasp the permanent consequences of their ever-changing tech interactions. Just as they might not consider how smoking now can cause long-term health problems down the road, they can be reluctant to curb their "share everything" tendencies now for the sake of their reputations later.

So it's crucial for parents to talk to their kids about how the seemingly fleeting nature of racy pictures, videos, emails, and text messages doesn't match the reality of their permanence in cyberspace. One ill-considered pic sent to a crush's phone easily can be forwarded to the recipient's friends, posted online, or printed and distributed. Even intense peer pressure to take or send nude pictures will pale in comparison with the public humiliation that follows when the images land on Facebook or the cell phones of hundreds of other kids and even adults.

So how can you get through to your kids? The answer is to have open conversations about personal responsibility, personal boundaries, and how to resist peer pressure. Conversations like this should occur throughout kids' lives — not just when problems emerge.

Explain to your kids, early and often, that once an image or message is sent, it is no longer in their control and cannot be taken back. It can, and likely will, spread beyond their control.

And don't overlook the potential for legal consequences. Regional laws haven't necessarily kept up with technology, with most intended for dealing with child pornographers, not high schoolers with smartphones. In Texas, for instance, some offenses call for 2 to 10 years in prison or fines up to $10,000. So, in theory, a teen could face felony charges for texting explicit photos or even have to register as a sex offender.

More likely, though, is the fallout that follows when a parent, teacher, friend, or loved one receives a forwarded text with compromising content. Your kids should understand that messages or pictures sent via the Internet or cell phones are never truly private or anonymous.

Beyond that, questionable behavior gone viral can haunt a college applicant or prospective employee years later. More and more colleges and employers check online profiles looking for indications of a candidate's suitability — or giant red flags about bad judgment and immaturity.

In the meantime, parents can make it clear that there will be consequences if their kids are caught sexting, such as confiscation of cell phones and netbooks or close monitoring of their use.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD, and Neil Izenberg, MD Date reviewed: December 2010