I was a pretty awkward teenager in high school so there’s no shortage of cringe-worthy photos of me from my younger years. Every now and again, those pictures will show up again on my Facebook feed or at a friend’s house, and I roll my eyes, wondering why I thought those clothes were cool or that not brushing my hair was an acceptable life choice.
But for many of today’s teenagers, the pictures that are resurfacing are a bit less lighthearted. According to DoSomething.org, in 2014, 22 percent of teen girls and 18 percent of teen boys reported sending nude or semi-nude photos of themselves. And a recent CNN study revealed that 15 percent of 13-year-olds had received photos of a sexual nature. Sexting has become the new normal, the modern day equivalent of passing folded-up love notes in class.
Many teens might fall under the delusion that these pictures will stay private, but they rarely (if ever) do. They get sent around, shared, and in the worst cases, used for revenge. And if you think Long Island’s immune, you’re wrong. Recent reports stated that school districts across the island were informing parents about a website where teens were anonymously uploading naked or scantily dressed pictures of themselves and others. The site is cataloged by state and high school, and according to ABC7, the districts on the list include Hicksville, Syosset, Levittown and Manhasset, among others.
In today’s world of selfies and social media, it takes seconds to send a picture to the masses and not think twice about it. But lest we forget that those pictures last forever. Life is hard enough without having to worry if your naked picture is going to show up on the Internet one day. So teenagers, keep your clothes on and do normal things like hang out with your friends instead of trying to find acceptance online. And parents, don’t be naive to what’s going on in your kids’ lives. After all, you saw them naked first.
—Betsy Abraham
