Sociology Of Sexting Essay

Depending on the study, the term “sexting” has been used to describe a wide variety of activities. It is most ordinarily defined as "the sharing of images or videos of sexually explicit content." The majority of attention has been directed toward sexting via cell phone, but the term can apply to any form of digital media, such as: email, messaging, and social networking sites. Lauri S. Schere’s Sexting explores issues related to sexting, including: how widespread sexting is, what causes sexting, if sexting should be criminalized, and how to prevent sexting.
Despite the emerging pulsation of sexting, scientific investigation with criminological perspectives has been finite in finding the aetiology. “Utilizing data collected from 1,612 randomly
selected youth in South Korea, this study begins the investigation into which criminological theory best explains sexting behaviors. Theories considered include: self-control, social control, and social learning theories. Some variables of each of those theories were tested. Findings show that peer pressure is the most important factor. The two types of sexting behaviors tested were sexting own picture/video and sexting others picture/video. Prior delinquency and positive attitude toward sexting were also significantly and positively related to both types of sexting behaviors” (Moak, 2013). Social control was perversely related to the second type of sexting behavior only. Self-control was not related to either type of behaviors.
One of the first and most recently cited studies on sexting was conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy with the benefactor of Cosmogirl.com. The study was a survey conducted online using 1,280 respondents. The respondents included 653 teens ranging from the ages of 13‐19 and 627 young adults ranging from the ages of 20‐26. “Major Findings: 20% of teens, ages 13 to 19, including 18% of teen boys and 22% of teen girls had sent or posted nude or semi‐nude pictures or videos of themselves on the Internet or through a cell phone. The majority of teens said they sent sexually suggestive content to boyfriends or girlfriends. 21% of teen girls and 39% of teen boys said they sent the content to someone they wanted to date or “hook up” with. 15% of teens who had sent sexually suggestive content did so to someone they only knew online” (Lounsbury, 2011).
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies assessed depression symptoms using an 11 item short “Depression Scale”. “We selected this short form in order to limit the number of survey items and reduce participant burden. Items (e.g., “I felt that everything I did was an effort”) were scored on a 4-point scale: 1=rarely or none of the time (less than 1 day); 4=most or all of the time (5–7 days). Mean depression score was calculated by reverse scoring positively worded items (e.g., “I felt hopeful about the future”) and creating a mean composite score. High scores indicated high depression symptoms in the past week (α = .82)” (J Adolesc Health, 2013).
Using the anxiety subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory, anxiety symptoms were measured. Participants who surveyed were to account and inform how they had experienced signs of anxiety such as “nervousness or shakiness” inside using a 5-point scale. 1 being never experienced nervousness or shakiness and 5 experiencing nervousness or shakiness very often. “We computed a mean total anxiety score, where higher scores indicated higher anxiety symptoms (α = .90). We assessed self-esteem using the 10-item Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale. Participants responded to items (e.g., “I feel I have a number of good qualities”) on a 4-point scale (1=strongly disagree; 4= strongly agree). We created a mean composite self-esteem score. Higher scores indicated higher self-esteem (α = .87)” (J Adolesc Health, 2013).
Sexting laws are serious and extremely consequential. You should not take anything as a joke. In fact, the act of sexting is very humorless. The following quote is a state law overview of New Jersey’s Sextings Laws and Regulations. “Possession of a sexually explicit image of a minor is a crime in and of itself. Distribution (sending a sexually explicit image of a minor to others) is a crime in and of itself. Promoting (the act of taking the picture of a minor who is engaged in a sexual act, even if the person taking the photo is the object of the photo) or coercing or soliciting (requesting a minor or tricking a minor into sending a sexually explicit image) is a crime in and of itself. A teenager who takes a naked picture of themselves and sends it to another teen, has technically committed 3 felony crimes. They could be charged with promoting, distributing and possessing child pornography and if convicted, could face real jail time. A teen who receives a sexually explicit image (even if it was not requested) can be charged with possession and if they send the picture to anyone else they are looking at distribution charges if caught. If one of the children is 18 (17 in some states) they are adults in the eyes of the law and even though they may be in a relationship with another teen, if that teen is under the age of 18 (17 in some states) there is a much greater risk of strict prosecution. If convicted, the conviction will most likely be a felony and require the teenager to register as a sex offender” (Parental Solutions, 2011).
The consequences of sexting are severe and long term. Once an object is out on the internet, there is no getting it back. Unfortunately, one of the major consequences of sexting includes cyberbullying. “Cyberbullying in a sexting sense includes when a nude photograph or video of one’s own body or particular body part(s) parcel out amongst others. The fomite of the picture(s) or video(s) can become the egress of inexorable ridicule, tantalization and domineering. Unfortunately, in most cases mistreatment does not discontinue after the teen leaves school. Technology in today’s world is so hard to escape that social networking sites, text messaging and other ways of communication keep teens connected to each other 24/7. For the teen who is getting abused it can become resistless because there is nowhere to elude” (Parental Solutions, 2011).
When it comes to college admissions and job placement sexting takes a toll.
A mistake you may have made in high school can and will haunt you for the rest of your life. Universities and employers are progressively checking applicants social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. as well as other background checks before granting admission or offering job opportunities. “If schools or prospective employers come across sexually explicit images of an applicant, see that the applicant was involved in the distribution of a naked photo of another teen, or the applicant was arrested, or charged with a misdemeanor or worse a felony, then chances are the applicant is not going to be accepted or offered the job regardless of the applicant's grades, or qualifications” (Parental Solutions, 2011).
Sextortion is one of the more recent “trends” associated with teenage sexting. Sextortion is “the practice of using a teen’s explicit photograph against the teen to extort more pictures or even worse sexual favors from the teen” (Parental Solutions, 2011). Overall, the “extortionist” will imperil to relinquish the photograph on the teen’s social networking site or contrive it to their school or parent unless the teen does something in return for the
“extortionist”.
Lastly, the teen may suffer from emotional distress and embarrassment. “The teen’s behavior will change, grades will suffer, and depression can result. Many teens will need to seek professional help to get them through the trauma of the incident which can have long lasting implications” (Parental Solutions, 2011).