How Serious Is Sexting? A History Of, & Review Of Current Affairs

Sexting is a serious problem with today’s youth of America. Not only is it dangerous for them emotionally, but with strict US anti-child pornography laws, a quick way to turn a seemingly harmless act into a lifetime of trouble. One of the few defenses to this inappropriate behavior is the implication and use of internet monitoring software, or to be more technical, a keystroke logger. With their use, you will be able to monitor and review what happens on any computer around the house and know exactly when and if your home computer is turning in a nesting ground for child pornography.

The first time the portmanteau, "sexting" (a combination of sex and texting) was published was in a 2005 article for the Sunday Telegraph Magazine. It has since spread worldwide to any country with internet and cell phones, and has particularly become a widely reported problem in the US, UK, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. Since 2005, more than a dozen cases worldwide have come to trial, and the number is only increasing. We can’t let our children fall prey to thinking this type of behavior has no harm intended, but need to educate them in order to avoid it and ignore attempts at being involved.

In recent times, things are only getting worse. With many cases springing up and even the former U.S. Secretary of Education, William J. Bennett, writing an op-ed for FoxNews.com about the occurrence and need for security against digital threats like sexting and sextortion, there is no end in sight. Some states have even rallied to start training programs to combat this problem like Illinois. The State Board of Education has teamed up with Attorney General Lisa Madigan in order to start training program to educate teachers on how to tell if their children are participating in these behaviors and how to keep their children safe online. Hopefully other institutions around the states will start to follow suit and start using a keystroke logger or internet monitoring software to protect their schools.