Parents, in case you've missed all of the other shows aimed at educating you on the latest teen craze called sexting, you'll want to tune in or Tivo Dr. Phil today. Sexting is the act of sending nude or sexual photos via the cell phone or other electronic devices. Tyra, GMA, and Today have all had segments on the topic.
This seemingly fun and harmless activity has landed some teens in jail on child pornography charges. Once convicted, the offender must register as a sex offender. This type of charge can be leveled whether the teen sends or receives the photo(s) in some cases.
In addition to the legal issues, some of the teenagers find themselves in the cross hairs of those who enjoy ridiculing others. One young woman hanged herself because of the overwhelming and negative attention she encountered after a nude photo of her made the rounds through her high school.
Dr Phil devotes today's show to educating parents on the dangers of sexting. Parents routinely assume that their child would never be involved in sexting and other dangerous trends teenagers engage in but most of the parents who have been interviewed on other shows regarding the subject admit to being mistaken with sometimes dire consequences.
This is your chance to learn about the practice of sexting so that you can intervene, if necessary, before your child makes a mistake that cannot be undone. Sometimes children have to be protected from themselves and the peer pressure they face daily.
Wired Safety is a website offering simple tips to parents designed to protect kids. As the Good Morning America episode revealed, even pre-teen children are taking shocking pictures and videos and forwarding them with their cell phones or other electronic devices.
Dr. Parry Aftab of Wired Safety has offered the following suggestions for parents.
Google: your child's first and last name in quotes Ex: "Jane Doe"
search screen names and address as well
your child's cell phone number in quotes Ex: "555-123-1212"
"Google Desktop" Download free software
Look for *avi for videos and *gpg for images
Visit www.wiredsafety.com and www.getgamesmart.com for other tips
Most importantly, parents should have a frank discussion with their children and discuss the pitfalls of sexting.
In related news, Oprah will be interviewing 14-year old children who claim that they are ready to have sex.
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