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	Flirting with the Phone         Teens Swap Nude Photos as Part of Dating Practice
	It seems innocent enough. Just point. Click. Shoot. Another instant picture via a cell phone. Tens of thousands of teens use their phones every day to send photos to friends. Most of the time the photos are as innocuous as teens hanging out with friends, acting goofy in the halls at schools, or a lucky sighting of a celebrity. But a growing number of teens are redefining flirting with a cell phone.      It's no longer enough to send a text message that reads, "Wanna go out? Just U & me." Now the invitation is accompanied by a teaser photo sent to the prospect. Far from a fringe behavior, this very forward (and visual) form of communication is now becoming common practice among both females and males

There seems to be a corresponding link between internet usage and risky behavior among teens. As more and more teens use the internet as their primary community, their usage of the internet seems to get increasingly sexual. At first, the trend was teens making sexual remarks to friends online, then communicating with strangers, then posting provocative photos on their MySpace sites. Now it has become one-on-one communication with photos that bare all.     In Utah, 24 middle and high school students were arrested for taking and swapping nude photos of themselves. A similar case in Alabama involved four middle schoolers. The same thing has happened in California, Arkansas, Florida, and Ohio.     So far it has been difficult to find any legal way to prevent the practice. In Alabama, the teens were arrested for possession of materials harmful to a minor. The "materials" were pictures of themselves. Similarly, teens in Arkansas were				Recent Stories on Teens and Nude Photos »   Utah Teens to Learn Fate in Nude       Photo Exchange »   More Teens Flirting with Nude Pics »   Teen Dating '08: Nude Pictures »   AL Middle Schoolers Arrested after       Sending Nude Photos
charged with distribution of pornography. Again, their own photos.  As of now there are no laws in place to address the issue.          In my opinion, the problem is that even if there were a law, it may do very little to curb the behavior. Girls have become more sexually aggressive to keep up with their male counterparts. Both feel emboldened and can be the talk of the school for a few minutes. According to one recent study, today's teens are more motivated by immediate fame than by planning for their future by making healthy choices today.           An Engaged Response to Photo Flirting
As you read this, maybe your gut reaction is to take away your teen's cell phone. Or sit your kid down for a little interrogation session. You and I both know that this is a course of action that will lead to no good. Don't get me wrong. Respond you must. But respond in a way that helps your teen make well thought out choices.
»  Talk about discretion. As a parent you have a responsibility to teach your teen healthy boundaries for dating. Talk to them about using discernment in what they say and do with a prospective date. Help them see that every day they are creating an image (reputation) for others to see who they are as a person. »  Talk about safety. This is particularly true for younger teens. Make sure your teen understands that if they send a photo to someone else, it can then be distributed to any number of other people. And there is virtually no way to stop it. Provide a safe environment at home so they know they can talk to you if they ever feel pressured to take part in this kind of activity. »  Talk about spiritual maturity.  In Ephesians 5.3, Paul says there should not be "even a hint of sexual immorality" among God's people. Ask your teen how they deal with pressures like these from friends who might suggest it. Talk about God's design for sexuality and the freedom that comes from living within His boundaries. Ask your teen, "How can I help you to live within God's boundaries?"