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SALT LAKE CITY -- A surprising new report estimates teens are "sexting" far more than first thought.
The survey, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Cox Communications, found one in five teens has sexted-meaning sent suggestive, nude or nearly-nude photos of themselves over e-mail or cell phone to someone else.
What makes that so disturbing, according to the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, is that the teens usually only think it's another teen they're sharing the photos with. In some cases, Capt. Rhett McQuiston says, "It's a 45-year-old male who is receiving some type of gratification from this type of communication with a teenager."
According to the survey, nearly three out of every four teens has a cell phone, about the same number as have a social networking profile, and 91 percent say they use e-mail.
McQuiston says that presents a challenge for parents because the teens are so tech-savvy. "I think today's teenagers are very good at hiding what they do online and also on their cell phones," he explained.
He says parents need to know it's OK for them to "snoop" if it means protecting their children.
"I really believe that parents need to check on what's on [teens'] cell phones, know the passwords to their Facebook and MySpace pages, and have a good open line of communication with them," he says. "This is the only way I believe that we're ever going to get a handle on this problem, is by parents becoming actively involved in their children's lives."
The Utah ICAC website has more tips for parents to help them navigate online and cell phone safety with their children.
E-mail: bbruce@ksl.com
