Source: Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 1/21/2009 5:20:00 AM

January 27^th, 2009 by Jason T

Years ago a wink was considered flirting. Today young people use technology instead.

The current trend among youth is to transmit nude or semi-nude photos or videos via cell phones. Marisa Nightingale of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy explains the phenomenon.
 
"It begins in the teen years -- and rather than it being seen as sort of a youthful indiscretion that fades with time, it actually does become more ubiquitous and more commonplace as you get older," she says.
 
Nightingale's organization surveyed 13- to 26-year-old males and females about the topic. "The findings were that one out of five teen girls, and almost the same number of teen boys, have sent or posted online a nude or semi-nude image of themselves," she shares.
 
Often the photos are circulated among friends. Reportedly the boys especially consider it to be an invitation for intimacy. According to news reports, those images sometimes make it to the Internet.
 
Nightingale offers some advice on what action is needed to stop the practice. "I think the first line of defense is really the parents," she offers.
 
Recently, three teenage girls were arrested in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and three boys they sent pictures to were charged with child pornography.

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