Sexting: how to sext safely

Sending and receiving nude selfies: many of us increasingly find it quite normal. In a society where nearly everyone sends texts and social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram are more popular than ever, the threshold for deciding to send a nude photo is lower than ever. Sexy texting is also exciting, fun and good for your sex life. But it also comes with risks. Find out how to sext safely!

Fact: 1 in 4 young people in the world has occasionally received a sexually suggestive photo.

The dangers of sexting

Sexting already includes many exciting aspects. Not only sexy images, but also erotically-tinged text messages. The intensity of sexting can vary considerably, however. For example, you don’t have to be completely naked to take a nude selfie.

The danger of sending a nude selfie this way is that it can easily be forwarded to third parties. Hot pictures get shared in group conversations and in online communities all the time. Sharing a nude photo or video without permission can cause a lot of (psychological) damage, however, both to the victim and to those closest to the victim. To keep sexting fun, it’s important to recognise the dangers in order to avoid negative consequences.

Sexting is… anything that’s experienced as sexually stimulating. This includes not just hot images, but also erotically-tinged text messages.

Sending a nude photo responsibly

Be aware of what you’re sending and to whom

Sending a nude photo to a random person on your contacts list is different from sending your regular partner a photo of your butt in a thong. Sexting is partly about trust. The photo or video you send is mainly meant for the person you send it to. Therefore, think very carefully about whether you trust that recipient enough before sending that hot shot.

Tip: Don’t send photos to or sext with someone you haven’t already had sex with.

Keep your face out of sight

The greatest damage is done when a leaked photo or video shows a recognisable face. This can easily be prevented by keeping your head out of the picture. There’s nothing wrong with sexting, but do it without your face showing. Also consider any distinctive tattoos you might have.

Did you know that… it’s also important to keep your face even out of the photos you send to your steady partner? There are plenty of cases of revenge porn and (emotional or financial) blackmail out there.

Neutral background

If you want to make yourself even more unrecognisable, it’s advisable to take the photo with a neutral background. Even if your head isn’t in it, a friend might recognise the posters on your wall or your flowery bedspread.  Go for a completely plani background and remove recognisable objects from the shot.

Please note! Be very careful when performing erotic acts in front of a webcam. People have screen recorders that they can use to record you without your even noticing.

Protecting photos

As well as the risk of your nude selfie being forwarded, a hacker could gain access to your private files. A good way to protect your photos is to lock them with the Cryptomator app. You can send the photos to your cloud (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Photos). If a hacker wants to poke around in your cloud, they won’t be able to open these locked files.

With the eZyWatermark app, you can conveniently place a watermark on your photo with the recipient’s name. If the photo is leaked, the recipient’s name will be on it. This can be a handy way to track down the perpetrator and seek legal action.

When in doubt, don’t take risks

Sexting can be fun, exciting and good for your sex life. But always keep the risks in mind. Don’t want sexy photos or videos of you out there? The only way to prevent this for certain is to not take them in the first place.

Have you ever done sexting? Share your experience (anonymously) with us.