Sexting has greatly evolved with the appearance of social networks. Today sending a picture of someone naked is easy as never due to the countless web resources which transmit images. With the rising popularity of such a compromising activity, sexting awareness of parents and legislators increased as well. Sexting became especially dangerous in the digital age as it can have a very long-term effect.
Adolescents widely use sexting in response to their natural curiosity. At the age of puberty, when their body grows faster than intellect, analytic thinking, and sexual education put together, teens want to be immediately involved in adult-like romantic relationships. In the communities where most teenagers practice sexting, youngsters who avoid it may appear under the social pressure to start sexting. Romantic perception of the first love also encourages teenagers to sext. Perhaps, the prefrontal cortex is not yet enough developed in teens so that they make ill-considered choices.
Besides, adolescents believe that sexting will be kept in secret (at least from adults).
However, nasty consequences always follow disrespectful activities. Sexts are frequently forwarded and there is a great risk that people who are not meant to receive these images will get them. Teens who have been caught at sexting will suffer from bullying and embarrassment. Compromised reputation is inevitable when sexts are found by employers, for example, years after they have been sent.
To protect children, sexting became legally regulated by some states. But children shall be discouraged to share very personal content by their parents in the first place. Adults must talk to their children and do not wait for kids to get sexual education from other sources.