What Happens If a Child Sends Inappropriate Pictures?

It’s a moment every parent dreads: discovering your child sent nude photos. While the desire to explore their sexuality is developmentally normal, sending explicit photos can have serious legal, emotional, and personal safety implications for a child. It’s important for parents to understand what happens if a child sends inappropriate pictures and what to do about it. Let’s get into it. 

Understanding the situation

Sending sexually explicit texts, videos, or images is often referred to as sexting. It can happen on a smartphone, computer, or any web-connected device, like a tablet, digital camera, or video game. 

How common is sexting among teens? 

Studies vary, but researchers estimate that the rate of sexting among teens is between 20–60%. Perhaps even more concerning is that teens themselves believe that about 90% of their peers are sexting. This overestimation may contribute to the pressure a teen feels to send inappropriate pictures — if they think everyone else is doing it, the behavior may become more accepted. 

Why do kids send explicit texts? 

There are many reasons why a child might send inappropriate pictures. Some are relatively innocent, like personal exploration or even as a joke. Other motivations are more concerning, such as peer pressure, coercion, or sextortion. 

In fact, one in five kids who have sent sexts said they were pressured to do it. It’s important to know that, no matter why your child did it, sexting can have serious consequences. 

What happens if a child sends inappropriate pictures? 

If your child sends inappropriate pictures, here’s what you need to know about the potential consequences: 

Legal implications

Depending on the state, sending and receiving explicit images of minors may be illegal — even when the other party is also a minor.

Personal safety implications

Online predators often pose as same-age peers when targeting minors and may request elicit photos as part of the grooming process. In over a quarter of all reported exploitation incidents, the online predator asked the child for sexually explicit photos of themselves. If the sexting is between same-age peers, cyberbullying may be a contributing factor. 

Emotional implications

Sending explicit photos can lead to negative comments and bullying from peers. A child may also feel embarrassed or ashamed of their actions, all of which can have long-lasting impacts on a child’s self-esteem. 

Reputation and digital footprint

The images your child sent could become a part of their digital footprint, potentially compromising future college and employment opportunities. 

Immediate steps for parents

Here are some steps you can take right away to support and protect your child: 

1. Talk to your child 

The first step is to talk to your child to get the full context. Here are some tips and talking points to guide your conversation: 

• Stay calm and don’t jump to conclusions. Remember, your primary goal is to support your child and keep them safe. 
• Ask open-ended questions. For example: “Can you tell me why you sent these?” and “How are you feeling about the situation?”
• Find out why they sent the pictures. Understanding what motivated your child to send the photos will help inform how you deal with the situation. For example, if they sent them to a boyfriend willingly, your approach will be different than if they were pressured.
• Let them know that exploring sexuality is normal. Be clear that your concern isn’t around their desire to explore their sexuality, but the potential impact their actions could have.
• Explain potential implications. Start by asking your child what consequences they think might occur and then fill in any gaps.

2. Remove the images from all devices and online platforms. 

If the recipient is another minor, you may need to involve their parents to ensure all images are deleted. Heads up: Take It Down is a free service that can help remove explicit images taken before someone turned 18.

3. Understand the legal ramifications. 

If you think the situation may have legal implications, it’s wise to seek legal counsel. 

4. Decide whether to inform the authorities. 

If you suspect a predator or sexploitation is involved, consider contacting law enforcement. 

Next steps  

After you’ve triaged the immediate needs of the situation, here’s how you can support your child long term:

• Professional help. A counselor or therapist can be an excellent resource for helping your child through the emotional aspects of the situation. 
• Strong support networks. Encourage your child to build healthy, supportive relationships outside of the screen. Remind them of their existing support network, such as family, positive friends, and youth leaders. 
• The Talk. If you haven’t already talked about sex with your child, now is definitely the time to start. (Or to revisit the topic.)

Prevention and protection

If you’re concerned about your child sending inappropriate pictures, here are some preventative measures you can take:

• Parental monitoring apps. Apps like BrightCanary can help you supervise your child’s online activity, including deleted text messages. Using child safety app allows you to spot any issues when they first arise and address them before they become a serious problem. 
  
• Education and awareness. Teach your child about the risks and consequences of sending explicit images.
• Setting boundaries. Establish clear rules and guidelines for device usage.

Final thoughts

Sending explicit pictures can have serious consequences for your child. Parents should establish clear lines of communication and take proactive measures to prevent their child from getting into sexting trouble. If a child does send inappropriate pictures, parents must take immediate steps to protect their child, seeking help if needed.