Cyber Safety Project
  • Home
  • About
  • Programs
    • Cyber Safety Curriculum
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Login
  • Home
  • About
  • Programs
    • Cyber Safety Curriculum
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Login

Cyber Safety Project Blog.

ALL THE LATEST SAFETY & WELLBEING NEWS

Sexting and the realities

22/7/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Let’s talk NUDES. Sexting or sending and receiving nudes isn't new. This type of behaviour has been around in one form or another for a long time, but in recent years the access to connected technology, new social networking platforms and peer pressure is seeing 'nudes' as becoming part of the ever day life of digital teens.  Sending nudes can often lead to devastating outcomes so let's break it down.
​
According to an eSafety Commissioner survey, 9 out of 10 teens (14-17 years of age) thought that sexting happened among their peers and around 4 in 10 reported that it either happened often, or all the time. Of the teens surveyed nearly 1 in 3 young people aged 14-17 years in Australia had some experience with sexting. This included sending, being asked and asking, sharing or showing nude or nearly nude images or videos. The statistics indicate that if young people aren't being asked to send these explicit images then it is something that is certainly being spoken about within their peer groups. Additionally, the social pressures to send nudes can also intensify the ongoing battle with self-image and self-esteem.
​
In cases where the images have been seen by others (beyond the intended person) the consequences can be quite severe in terms of possible criminal prosecution, trouble with school authorities or serious social and psychological consequences including increased bullying, social isolation, shaming and severe anxiety, fear and depression.
Although the personal ramifications and social implications that come from sexting are regularly emphasized to young people, it is an imperative for them to be aware of the serious laws (which have recently changed) that can implicate minors that send, receive and possess explicit images of other minors.


Victorian Legal Aid make the legislation related to sexting and what is deemed child pornography very clear, “Sexting is a crime if you intentionally distribute an intimate image of a person under 18 to others, even if they agree to the sext message being sent. You could also be charged by police with child pornography offences.” Threatening to send an intimate image of a person to others, if the person believes that you will carry out the threat, may also be a criminal offence. While it can seem confronting, that fact that teenagers today are sharing these explicit images with one another means the term child pornography needs to be addressed. Victorian Legal Aid highlights that under Commonwealth law you could be charged with child pornography offences if you take, send, receive, make available, possess or store sexual or intimate photos of someone who is under 18 or who looks or represents someone under 18. Under these laws, there are serious consequences if you get caught.

To learn more please access the Legal Aid Website.
https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/find-legal-answers/sex-and-law/sexting-and-child-pornography


​So with all this information what is our advice on this very real and sensitive topic. The reality around sexting and sending nudes is very real. As responsible adults we can’t shy away from this important conversation. Asking questions about how your children feel and what they know can help you to gauge your child's level of knowledge and keeps you informed to guide and educate them about the risks and dangers of this very difficult space.
  • What do your friends think about sending nudes? Do you agree with them?
  • Do you know the law around sending and receiving nude images?
  • Has anyone asked you to send a nude? How did that make you feel?
 
Enforce boundaries. Responsible use of technology is learnt, not simply acquired. Young digital citizens need guidance and  boundaries. Here are our non negotiables when it come to the use of technology in the home. You home digital device police should include the following (no exceptions):
  • All devices are to be charged in a common areas each and EVERY night
  • No devices to be use in the bedroom, bathroom or toilets. These risky and potentially damaging images aren't going to be taken in the lounge room or kitchen.

Keep your eyes peeled. There are some cheeky and deceitful applications that can be downloaded to store photos in other 'secret' folders or vaults. Applications like Fake Calculator and Photo Vault store images off the users Camera Roll into these 'hidden' folders make them harder find and use cloud/server storage so the images can be removed from the phone with the hope that explicit images cant be found.  Be sure to check all apps on your children's phones, even the icons that look like native apps like the Calculator, Weather or Notes apps - they could be a hidden/secret vault.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    The Cyber Safety Project are committed to staying current in this constantly changing digital world. These blog and vlog posts provide insight to families about new trends, potential dangers online and effective strategies to maintain safe and respectful digital behaviours for parents, children, schools and the wider community. 

    Categories

    All
    App Limits
    Conversation Cue Cards
    Downtime
    Drones
    Fortnite
    Gaming
    IOS
    IPhone
    Minecraft
    Netflix
    Parental Controls
    Roblox
    Safer Internet Day
    Screen Time
    Smart Phones
    Social Media
    Tech Gadgets
    Tips For Parents
    VR

    Archives

    November 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018

​Hours

M-F: 9am - 5pm

Telephone

1300 114 117

Email

info@cybersafetyproject.com.au

Join our mailing list

Click here
TERMS AND CONDITIONS  |  PRIVACY POLICY  |  COPYRIGHT © 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, CYBER SAFETY PROJECT