For parents concerned about the “sexting” phenomenon and wondering how much of it is media hype, the Pew Research Center has some answers. According to its Internet & American Life Project, a mere 4 percent of teens between 12 and 17 years of age say they have sent explicit photos of themselves while a larger number, 15 percent, say they have received such images. These numbers rise, however, corresponding with age: “Older teens are much more likely to send and receive these images; 8 percent of 17-year-olds with cell phones have sent a sexually provocative image by text and 30 percent have received a nude or nearly nude image on their phone.” This should come as a relief to many parents who have the impression that “everybody does it.” Of course this does depend on how many teens would honestly admit to a pollster that they engage in sexting. Because if we assume those interviewed were being truthful, and 30 percent receive such images while only 8 percent send them, well, those 8 percent must be pretty busy! As for why a teen would send such explicit images over a phone, Pew gives us three scenarios: “Exchanges of images solely between two romantic partners,” “Exchanges between partners that are then shared outside the relationship,” and “Exchanges between people who are not yet in a relationship, but where often one person hopes to be.” (But suppose they don’t like what they see?) In addition, there is this obvious note: “The teens who pay their own phone bills are more likely to send ‘sexts’: 17 percent of teens who pay for all of the costs associated with their cell phones send sexually suggestive images via text; just 3 percent of teens who do not pay for, or only pay for a portion of the cost of the cell phone send these images.” To parents with teens: Maybe it’s a good time to check that bill. And that phone.
