I must be getting old as I am often shocked by what is on TV these days. Tonight sexting will be in the spotlight on the CW teen soap 90210. I must admit I have never seen a full episode of this show. From what I did see I found the plot to be even thinner than its stars, (Shenae Grimes, AnnaLynne McCord, Jessica Stroup, Jessica Lowndes), who have been much maligned for being so slim.

No matter what you think of this show, if you have kids who watch it you have an opportunity to discuss sexting tonight. While it might seem like a prank, sexting is a serious issue. In short, it is the sending of naked photos or video.

Last year an Ohio teen killed herself after her ex-boyfriend sent nude photos she took of herself to others and she was bullied by other girls. Earlier this year an 18-year-old boy sent naked photos of his 16-year-old girlfriend to people after they had an argument. He was convicted of sending child pornography and under Florida law now must register as a sex offender.

The Indiana Youth Institute reports that 20 percent of teens have engaged in sexting. According to them, 17 per cent have received a photo and three per cent have forwarded one.

This is a good opportunity to speak to your teen about a variety of topics, such as:

a) being responsible for your actions

b) not putting yourself in a situation where someone can take a photo of you

c) treating others like how you want to be treated

Robin

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