Is it okay...

to sext someone I don't know?

Amount of teens who believe it’s “normal for people my age to share nudes with each other.”

40%

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Number of teens who say they’ve seen non-consensually shared nudes.

1 in 3

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the choice to send a nude can be sexy, exhilarating… or risky. When sent with all parties’ full consent and trust, a sext can be a fun form of foreplay. But a sext can also get really dangerous, really fast.

Depending on
the context,

• Someone could distribute or leak your photo.

• If you’re a minor, you might be breaking child pornography laws, depending on where you live.

When you sext, you run several risks:

•Your (or your recipient’s) phone could be stolen or hacked.

Around

Americans say they’re either a victim of revenge porn, or they’ve been threatened or blackmailed with a naked photo.

1 in 25

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and you’re second-guessing your choice, take a deep breath. You’re not alone! The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative has lots of resources for people who suspect (or know) their photos ended up in the wrong hands.

If you already
sent a sexy pic

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There are laws in 48 states and Washington D.C. that can protect you.

And if someone is distributing your photos or threatening you, know this:

To be clear,

if you’re on the receiving end of revenge porn, it is never your fault for sending a photo, as long as it was shared with consent. The blame here falls squarely on the person spreading your images.

12 or even
24 hours.

Sex and relationship expert

— EMILY MORSE, PhD

It’s never a bad idea to sit on a sext for




Take the time to decide if the pic is worth the risk.

• How will the recipient feel receiving this photo?

• How would I feel if I saw this photo five years from now?

(The best way to know that? Ask them, and get clear consent before sending.)

•Do I feel good in this photo?

Before pressing send, ask yourself these questions:

• Is it definitely my own decision to send this photo?

— DR. MORSE

And don’t forget that there are other ways to heat things up over text.

"I definitely recommend sexting words before photos. It’s best not to send pics to someone unless (or until!) you know they’re trustworthy."

“Cut out your face. Use your face or your body; you don’t need to do both,” Dr. Morse says.

Even if you’re sexting someone you love, there’s a chance someone could steal, hack, or access their phone.
Prepare yourself for that possibility, and proceed with caution.

So, is it okay...

to sext someone I don't know?

So be fully informed, and take care before pressing send.

The answer is:

It can be risky.

PHOTOS
Photographed by Savanna Ruedy
Prop Styled by Anna Lemi
Models: Mai Anh Srisuk; Oskar Gantuah
Photographed by Kate Anglestein (blue phone)
Photographed by Meg O'Donnell (orange phone)


STORY BY
Lydia Wang & Mirel Zaman


DESIGNED BY
Michelle Cope & Idil Gozde


SELF-SHOT VIDEOS EDITED BY
Jackie Baskin


IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Advocates for Youth

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