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revealing her personal potential, professionally
assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
Sexting — what is it and how to prevent it
Today we will consider another type of illegal actions on the Internet that jeopardizes children's safety. Let's look at what this phenomenon is and what measures need to be taken to protect children from unwanted attention from intruders.
The word "sexting" has been used since 2005 to refer to the exchange of sexual text messages using digital devices such as a phone, computer, or any other device. Sexting is closely related to grooming, which we wrote about earlier: https://www.bpwbrest.by/articles/Grooming%20-%20what%20is%20it.html .
It is not uncommon for children (in most cases teenagers) to post their explicit photos on the Internet. As a rule, this is due to the desire to be more popular among peers. Other reasons teenagers engage in sexting are to flirt with someone they wanted to have a relationship with or to "reciprocate" a candid photo that was sent to you. Unfortunately, such images usually become one of the factors that attract unwanted attention from intruders to the victim.
Currently, social networks are the main place to search for victims, however, the danger is also present on other platforms (in chat rooms, forums, on Instagram, less often on Twitter). This happens where teenagers who post provocative photos are most often found.
By what signs can you understand that a child has become a victim of sexting:
- on his social media pages. there are explicit photos on social media or the child was caught in the process of shooting such materials (such photos can be extorted by an attacker);
- the child has frequent mood swings;
- the child worries about something, but does not talk to you about it;
- a teenager spends a lot of time with gadgets, hiding them from his parents;
How can I talk to my child to prevent sexting?
• First, try to be a friend to your child – in this case, he will not be afraid to share troubles with you. Take an interest in the events of his life and discuss the problems that arise.
• Agree to discuss any questionable events on the Internet. Promise me that you won't get angry and forbid me to use the computer.
• Explain that the moment a child sends his explicit photos and videos to someone, he loses control over them. Tell us that online people can easily impersonate others. You can't be 100% sure that a peer who asks you to send intimate photos won't turn out to be an adult villain, just as you can't be sure that someone who is your friend today won't want to "teach" you a lesson after an argument by sharing the photo. The Internet remembers everything. The recipient may show the photo to someone else or start blackmailing the child, as well as demanding new pictures and videos.
• Tell us that you shouldn't even store intimate photos on your phone. You can forget your phone in the minibus, and it will be picked up by an outsider who will gain access to media files.;
• Add your child as a friend and periodically review the list of his friends. Explain that this is for his own good. Some programs (for example, Kaspersky Safe Kids) allow you to track the list of friends and messages in the child's feed, as well as the contacts with whom he communicates.
• Tell us about the danger of opening unfamiliar files received from unknown users – they may contain viruses or photos/videos with negative content.
• Keep in mind the technical safety features:
- change the privacy settings of the social media page so that only friends can write to the child. This way he will communicate only with those he knows personally.
- teach you how to block unpleasant users right away, without waiting for an unpleasant incident. Trust your gut.
- install parental control programs and check what the child is doing online.
When buying a modern gadget for your child, a parent should remember that if handled improperly, a means of communication can turn into a formidable weapon. Therefore, do not neglect the rules of reasonable control not only in real life, but also in virtual life. If you do this competently and with respect for the child's personal space, talk to him and explain to him the need for such measures, then you can protect him from sexual exploitation on the Internet.
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