Resources for Parents - Sexual Exploitation

Sexting and youth: Confronting a modern dilemma

It’s hard to think of a recent digital technology issue that’s captured the public imagination more than sexting. This may be because it combines elements of the classic moral panic with more modern “technopanic,” provoking worries not just about the morality of our children – and, in particular, young girls – but also about the possible effects of technology on how we grow, think and behave. As with most panics, of course, the issue is substantially more complicated and less sensational than we perceive it to be, and while it’s unlikely that our worries about sexting will ever seem in retrospect to be as absurd as our grandparents’ fears about crime comics, MediaSmarts’ new data shows that many of our beliefs and assumptions on the subject need closer examination.

Communicating Safely Online: Tip Sheet for Parents and Trusted Adults

a. Types of Unhealthy Online Relationships

Online exploitation is when someone uses digital media to find teens and get them involved in romantic or sexual relationships.

Talking to your kids about sexting

Sexting is most likely to have negative consequences when the person sending the sext has been pressured into doing it.