New Research Shows Teen Sexting and Risk of Sextortion is Increasing
Sameer and I first collected data on teen sexting nearly a decade ago and found that 7-11% of 12-17-year-olds in the US had sent a sexually explicit image of themselves to someone else. About 15% had received such an image from someone else. Last year, we replicated this research and found that 24%...
AISummary
Research shows a dramatic increase in teen sexting, with 24% of 13-17-year-olds now sending sexually explicit images compared to just 7-11% a decade ago. This rise in sexting increases risks like sextortion, where images are used to blackmail or exploit teens. Parents should understand these trends to have informed conversations with their teens about digital safety and the serious consequences of sharing intimate content online.
Sameer and I first collected data on teen sexting nearly a decade ago and found that 7-11% of 12-17-year-olds in the US had sent a sexually explicit image of themselves to someone else. About 15% had received such an image from someone else. Last year, we replicated this research and found that 24% of 13-17-year-olds had sent, and 32% had received, a sexually explicit image. Despite this increase, it remains true that a majority of teens in the US do not participate in sexting. We also found tha...