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It’s no longer safe to let kids have free rein on their mobile devices. A leading Internet safety advocate has warned parents that kids are being exposed to a lot of graphic materials, and “sexting” is being considered as an “in” thing to do nowadays.
“Internet pornography has become the wallpaper of our children’s lives from a very early age,” Donna Rice Hughes tells The Christian Post. “Here is the reality: Parents are often the last ones to know and to understand that their own children are not immune to Internet dangers, whatever they are.”
Hughes, who is the president of the nonprofit organisation Enough is Enough, revealed the results of a research which showed that youngsters and adults alike both regard “sexting” as a normal activity. Even public officials have been caught doing this as well.
Hughes is worried that “sexting” will only get more popular and accepted in today’s culture.
The problem is, she says, is that today’s youth is connected to the Internet all the time. When they learn about “sexting” online, they’ll inevitably try it as well. “When kids see Cowboys and Indians movies, what do they do? They’re out playing Cowboys and Indians,” she says. “So, when kids see sexually charged material, they do tend to act out.”
“Young people are much more likely to get involved in sexting if they are also involved in viewing pornography online. So all of this is wrapped up together,” she continues. “I hate to say that it’s possibly a rite of passage for these young people in their ‘dating’ relationships, but I dare say that’s not a stretch at all.”
Hughes was talking about the recent research conducted by the University of Michigan Health System, which listed sexting as part of the top 10 list of health concerns for children in the United States. Childhood obesity, bullying, and drug abuse remained as the top three health concerns. Internet safety came in fourth, followed by child abuse and neglect. Sexting ranked sixth, while smoking and tobacco use, school violence, teenage pregnancy, and stress rounded up the list.
