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revealing her personal potential, professionally
assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
Intimate selfies on the internet — a joke or a dangerous risk?
In the 21st century, a gadget in the hands of a child is becoming almost the best alternative to toys. Yes, modern technology has made life much easier for modern parents. But there are disadvantages to using the Internet so actively. One of them is sexting or sharing photos/videos of intimate content. What parents need to know about him, what risks arise when exchanging intimate materials, the specialists of the NGO "Club of Businesswomen" have figured out.
Why do teenagers engage in sexting?
- It's a kind of way to assert yourself. Young people want to look like the girl/guy on the cover of a fashion magazine. By the way, boys are much less likely to be sexted than girls.;
- they want to feel older;
- they consider sexting to be a safer activity than sex;
- they send pictures out of desperation, under strong pressure from the other side.
What is the danger?
When talking about sending nude photos, young people rarely use the term "sexting." Teenagers see innocent flirting in the exchange of intimate texts and images. Not everyone understands the danger of such "piquant" fun. Therefore, parents should tell their children about the risks. Criminals can use intimate photos of a child to produce child pornography, blackmail, harassment, and sexual assault.
How can intimate photos be used?
In the first case, intimate content may be saved and shared with third parties – those with whom the sender is unfamiliar. Then the materials end up on the Internet: social networks and publicly accessible sites. You will not be able to remove sensitive materials from the network on your own, only professionals can do this.
In the second case, intimate materials are kept by the recipient. The child becomes addicted because he understands that any wrong word or step will cause the manipulator to publish the content.
What are the possible consequences?
The consequences of distributing private materials can haunt a child right up to adulthood. If the photo gets into the hands of classmates or friends, it will lead to bullying and harassment. Your reputation will suffer, there will be problems at school, and academic performance will drop. A constant feeling of humiliation, guilt and shame and, as a result, emotional distress. A child cannot openly tell his family about such personal things. Constantly being alone with your misfortune can lead to thoughts of suicide.
How do you know if a child has been a victim of sexting?
- sudden change of mood;
- general concern and isolation;
- a teenager spends a lot of time playing with gadgets, hiding them from his parents;
- there are explicit photos on social media pages, or the parents caught the child in the process of shooting such materials.
How should parents behave?
- Of course, it's better to be proactive. It is important to communicate openly with the child, parents should have conversations about personal safety, including the Internet. Explain why it is important to maintain online privacy. Give instructions on how to behave so as not to become a victim of sexting.
- No matter how trusting a relationship you have with a teenager, if a child gets into trouble, he will still be uncomfortable with this topic. Do not be ashamed of your child and do not rush in with screams and malicious interrogation: how did it happen that his intimate photos/videos were seen by outsiders? Support him and calmly talk about further actions.;
- Find out why and to whom you sent the materials. You need to figure out who else has seen them.;
- Take a screenshot of the correspondence as proof. If an adult is involved in the story, contact the police immediately.;
- If the recipient is underage, contact his parents. Ask them to delete the photos from social networks and on all possible media.
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