Send me a nudie? ;)...

Promise not to share?

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE
“Send me a naked pic? ;) …”
“Promise not to share?”
Ok … So if you picked this up, it’s likely that you already know something about sexting. Perhaps
you’re thinking about sending out an image of yourself or you’re thinking of asking someone to send you
a picture. Or maybe you’ve already sent or shared something that you’re now regretting. Maybe you
know someone else who has and you are looking for resources to help.

We’ve all done something that we later regretted … No one is perfect;

we’ve all done something that we’ve later realized wasn’t the greatest idea, especially online. And we’ve
all undoubtedly heard stories about posts that have gone bad or have sprouted wings of their own and
got out of control. So if you’re feeling alone, we want to start by letting you know that you’re not.

We wrote this handbook for teens because we know that sexting can be a hard topic to navigate, plus,
adults are panicking about teens’ sexting. So what’s the big deal? Some teens think sexting is horrible,
stupid, and sure to ruin your future. Others don’t get what the fuss is all about. So which is it -- and
what do you really need to know about sexting?

Read on and you will discover:

What others have done when faced with the decision to engage in sexting
How the technology works and what the actual risks are
What steps you can take to gain back some control over a situation that feels out of
control
Whether your fears of getting into trouble are realistic
The impact on your future and what you can do about it
How to get support and advice from organizations that are there to help with just this sort of
issue
Look, you don’t have to read this whole thing, but it
P2: Introduction
does help to browse each section to get a really good
P3: Amanda’s Story
understanding of how and why sexting can be
P4: What Exactly is Sexting?
problematic. The more knowledgeable you are, the
P6: Who Sexts and Why?
better decisions you are going to make for yourself (and
P7: Give Me the Facts
the better advice you’ll be able to give to a friend).
CONTENTS

P8: Too Much Pressure

P9: 3 Ways to Turn Down a Sext
P10: What Do I Do Now?
P11: I’m Panicking
P12: Who Can Help Me?
P13: Will I Get into Trouble?
P14: Thinking Twice
P15: Knowing About Your Reputation
P16: What Do I Do Now?
P17: About This Resource © 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators
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Amanda’s Story ... Amanda Todd committed suicide at the age of 15 at her home
in British Columbia, Canada. Before she took her life, Amanda posted a video on YouTube in which
she used a series of flash cards to share her
experience of being blackmailed into exposing
her breasts via webcam and being bullied and physically assaulted. The video went viral
after her death, resulting in international media attention. As of September 2015, the video has been
watched more than19 million times. Her mother Carol Todd has since dedicated her time to raising
awareness about the issues that affected Amanda. The following is part of a letter written by Amanda’s
mom, Carol Todd.

“Knowledge is power”
Amanda Michelle Todd
(November 27, 1996 - October 10, 2012)

My daughter, Amanda Michelle Todd, took her life at the age of 15. It all
started with a topless photo. She didn’t know the person at the other end
of her computer was taking a picture. She didn’t know that he was showing it
to other men. Then she started to get blackmailed into showing more of herself
via her webcam. And if she didn’t, then her image would be sent throughout
the Internet. What Amanda didn’t do was tell an adult that this was happening
to her. She kept it to herself. This
image and what happened thereafter
was the start to the emotional breakdown of Amanda. The loss of
her confidence, her spirit and her friends. The embarrassment that followed was unbearable as was
the name-calling, the slutshaming and the bullying online and offline that occurred. Eventually Amanda
retreated into a shell, not being able to re-emerge as the girl she once was. As a parent and Amanda’s
mother, it is important to me that young people understand what can happen online and also how to
protect themselves online …

… We need to always tell our young people that it is okay to admit to making a mistake and then also
to support them in talking to an adult. This action is so very important before things escalate. We all
need to remember that making mistakes is normal and a part of growing up. The teen
years is when a lot of these happen. Also that these experiences become learning experiences for the
future years...

Sincerely, Carol Todd (Amanda’s mom)

For more information on Amanda’s
story, please visit:
http://amandatoddlegacy.org

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE 3
Need a moment to debrief?
Take a moment and think about Amanda’s story and her mother’s letter. Discuss with a friend or write
down your thoughts.

What is your gut reaction? Why do you think Amanda showed her breasts via a webcam? What do you
think prevented Amanda from seeking help or support when the situation started spiraling out of control?
What would you have done in this situation if you were Amanda’s friend? What if you were Amanda
herself?

So, what does Amanda’s story have to do with sexting?

Although Amanda’s story is an extreme case of what can go wrong, it does highlight
the pressures
many people can feel when they want to gain another person’s trust or fit in. It also serves
as an illustration of the aftermath that can occur when an image of oneself gets onto the Internet. But
before diving in, let’s step back and cover some specifics about sexting.

What Exactly Is Sexting?

“Teen sexting is a very rational act
with very irrational consequences.” -danah boyd

“Sexting” is a term used to describe the sharing of

intimate images or video with another person.

Curious to learn more about the risks

The content can range from sexually driven texts
and responsibilities when you share
and partial or full nude photos to sexual videos
sensitive content online in a relationship?
or pornography. Very often, sexting occurs Take a look at Common Sense
between couples or people who are dating, Education’s Overexposed: Sexting and
but it can also happen between friends or Relationships lesson.
groups. Sexting can happen via a whole range https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educa-
of devices, technologies, and online spaces. Most tors/lesson/overexposed-sexting-and-rela-
tionships
commonly, sexting occurs through text, private
message on social networks, or apps such as Kik,
Oovoo and Instagram; FaceTime or Skype.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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Deliberate and Accidental
Sexing isn’t defined by any one fixed term. Sexting can be wanted or unwanted, and the
exposure can be deliberate or accidental.

Most sexting is deliberate, meaning that the person who sent it meant for it to be sent. The sender will
pose or act in a sexual way and make a direct effort to send it to the person they want to see it, usually
a boyfriend or a girlfriend. There are plenty of risks with deliberate sexting, and we’ll get to those soon.
But sometimes it isn’t deliberate -- as in Amanda Todd’s case, when she didn’t know the pictures
were being taken and saved. In these cases, when
the sexts happen accidentally, the larger
consequences and privacy issues really come to the surface.

The media has been full of stories of leaked personal photos of celebrities, such as the iCloud incident
where actresses including Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst had their images hacked and posted
onto 4chan. Another example is the “Snappening,” where a third-party app hosting thousands of
Snapchat images was hacked and the pictures were released. Many of the hacked snaps were nude or
risque’ images of teenagers that were then re-posted onto sites such as Facebook and Tumblr.

It’s fair to say that sexting has become a part of our everyday pop culture. We see references
in popular culture such as the 2014 “comedy” film Sex Tape starring Cameron Diaz or the song Dirty
Picture by Taio Cruz and Kesha. Although
the media tends to normalize sexting and minimize
the consequences, we want to make sure you know that sexting is not “no big deal” --
and the aftermath is far from normal or desirable.

Revenge Porn
Aside from deliberate vs. accidental texting, we also want to separate both from another, even more
concerning kind of issue: revenge porn. “Revenge
porn” describes the act of sending out
another person’s nude pictures and/or videos of the person naked and/or involved in
a sexual activity as a way to get revenge or
express anger. Think: A couple breaks up, and
an angry ex decides to release, send, post, or share What are the consequences of oversharing
online? Check out Common Sense
sexual content to humiliate the other person. In some
Education’s Oops! I Broadcast It on the
cases of sexting, the major issue is whether or not
Internet lesson.
you’re a minor -- meaning that adults who engage in
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
the same behavior might not get in trouble. In other educators/lesson/oops-i-broadcast-it-inter-
cases, such as revenge porn, it’s
a HUGE issue net-6-8
and not ok, no matter who or how old you
are. Around the world, governments are starting to
take action and consider revenge porn a criminal
activity that can land you in jail.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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Who Sexts and Why?
LOL or OMG?!
For people in relationships, sharing nude photos
with each other is not actually a new thing.

What has changed is the speed with which a photo can

go viral and the size of the audience that can see it. This
makes the stakes much, much higher. The digital world
brings with it a new set of challenges. Now, with the
use of front-facing cameras on many smartphones, taking
and sharing a mobile photo can be a spontaneous decision.
Sharing directly through social networks, even privately,
makes it especially hard to regain control. Just think
about it: Social networks and apps are designed to make
publishing and sharing quick and easy. It’s
hard to know where the image has gone, who
has received it, and who has re-posted it already. A post can leave your social circle very
quickly and spread to a large, public audience. Once you press send, that picture is out of your
control forever. Period. You have no control over what others may think and how they might re-share
that image to their “other” audiences by simply pressing send.

A study by the Internet Watch Foundation showed that up to 88percent of self-generated

images have been collected and put onto other sites without the sender’s knowledge
or consent! That means that even if the person to whom you send a picture doesn’t save or share it, it
might live on forever in someone else’s hands, and it could pop up in the future when you least expect it.

In your parents’ younger years, the embarrassing stuff they did was rarely seen by anyone else. Today,
with mobile phones and the Web, that scenario has changed. The World Wide Web means the potential
of a huge audience, and, of course, if a photo is uploaded and shared, it can be online forever. Pretty
scary thought that something you did at age 14 can potentially affect your life 5, 10, or
15 years down the road.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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Give Me the Facts
How many people are really sexting?
The numbers are in. A recent study out of the University of New Hampshire found that less than 16
perfect of teens have created, appeared in, or received a sext.

“Estimates varied considerably depending on the nature of the images or videos and the role of
the youth involved. Two and one-half percent of youth had appeared in or created nude or nearly
nude pictures or videos. However, this percentage is reduced to 1.0 percent when the
definition is restricted to only include images that were sexually explicit (i.e., showed
naked breasts, genitals, or bottoms). Of the youth who participated in the survey, 7.1% said they had
received nude or nearly nude images of others; 5.9% of youth reported receiving sexually explicit
images. Few youth distributed these images.”

So we can say, based on real data, that no matter how it might feel, it’s just not the case that everyone
else is sexting.

To sext or not to sext?

Most of the time, intimate pictures are shared between partners who trust each other. And there are
probably many images shared that are never seen by anyone except the intended recipient, even when
the relationship ends. The trick is, it’s hard to predict the future. If
you have a bitter breakup, can
you be sure the person will respect you enough not to share your pictures? It is important
to think about the fact that sometimes during a breakup or during the heat of the moment that someone
can act in an irrational or thoughtless way. Unfortunately, that’s all it takes -- if someone has a naked
picture of you, two seconds of feeling angry or hurt might cause them to do something that neither of you
can take back.

You hope you can trust the person you text. But do you need to send them
pictures of your body in the first place? If someone is pressuring or guilt-tripping you, is it someone you
can really trust? Honestly, a good partner is someone who will accept your answer without question if you
find the courage to say, “No, thanks.

Even if you decide you totally trust the person, it’s worth it to really think about a few “what if’s” …
What if the recipient loses his or her phone?
What if a friend scrolls through his or her messages and sees it?
What if a parent checks the recipient’s phone and sees it?
What if the recipient changes his or her mind?
What if the relationship circumstances change?

Source: PEDIATRICS Volume 129, Number 1, January 2012

http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/sexting%20prevalence%20proof%20-%20do%20not%20cite%20without%20permission_km.pdf

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE 7
Too Much Pressure
But what if you can’t or don’t want to say no … We have all been there:
that feeling of being torn between doing something because we feel the pressure (or even just the
temptation) and that feeling of uneasiness because we aren’t sure of the outcome. More and more,
sexting is used as a sign of collateral for trust within a relationship, a way to mark one’s status or a way
to fit in. But this notion is based on the false assumption that everyone is doing it. The reality is that
not everyone is doing it, and more importantly there are better and safer ways to show someone you
trust them and that they can trust you.

What if you want to say no, but you just feel So. Much. Pressure? It’s totally normal to want to be
liked and be accepted -- whether it’s by your friends, your crush, or just a group of people you like
hanging out with. For
some people, the pressure to sext isn’t even coming from the person
on the receiving end of the nude photos; it’s a more complicated kind of pressure
coming from all around. For guys, it might be the pressure to have girls sending you photos to prove
to friends that girls are basically throwing themselves at you. For girls, it might be the pressure not to
seem like a “prude” or even just the pressure to look or act like your friends do. We know the reality is
that you may know sexting isn’t the wisest decision, but the short-term consequences (like how you’re
going to say “no” to the guy or girl you like or how you’re going to deal with your friends taunting you)
can feel much more stressful than the longer-term potential risk that the photo is leaked. But trust us:
If the photo is leaked, it’s much, much worse than being called “lame.” It can ruin people’s
lives. So, we want to arm you with a few tips for how you can navigate sticky situations without giving into
the pressure.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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3 Ways to Turn Down a Request for a Sext ...
without losing the relationship

1. Use humor. Using a lighthearted response, such as referencing the latest star tabloids drama
and telling them, “I wouldn't mind striving for Jennifer Lawrence's freebies, great wardrobe, and chill
attitude, but getting involved in an accidental leak of nude photos is one thing I don't really want to have
in common.”

2. Keep it offline. There's a difference between online and offline, and someone’s argument may be
that they have already seen you exposed offline, so it shouldn’t be a big deal. Remind them that you like
to have control over who sees your image and how they see it.

3. Don't fall for “I'll show you mine if you show me yours.” We want to be perfectly
honest about something: There is a really ugly double standard. The consequences for girls of
sharing naked pictures can be way worse than the consequences for boys. So, it's not really an even
trade. Also, plentyof teens say they will find a picture online or send someone else's and
pretend it’s their own. So if you're sending your own picture, you might not even realize you're taking
a much bigger risk than the person on the other end of the conversation.

3 ways to take the conversation outside of the

classroom
1.Share: Feel like you should clue in the adults in your life?
Pass along this resource and tell them you’re interested in
talking.

2. Discuss: Open the discussion to your peers. Take the

Amanda Todd case and ask your friends or classmates if
they have ever felt the pressure to do something similar. Are
there any aspects of the Amanda Todd story that stood out to
them? What would you advise a friend who was in Amanda’s
situation and had been “exposed” by having her photos sent
out to classmates?

3. Reflect: Take a moment to reflect on your thoughts on

sexting, especially now that you’ve read this guide. Did you
learn anything that you didn’t know before? Do you ever see
incidents in your school or among your peers that sit uneasy
for you? What are two ways you can handle future situations
that make you uncomfortabe? It’s time to be honest -- you
can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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What Do I Do Now?
The Power and the Reach of the Internet
Sharing directly through social networks, even privately, makes it especially hard to regain control. Just
think about it: Social networks and apps are designed to make publishing and sharing quick and easy.
It’s hard to know where the image has gone, who has received it, and who has
re-posted it already. A post can leave your social circle very quickly and spread to a large, public
audience.

Devices such as smartphones, tablets, or personal Ready to set the example of how can you
respect the privacy of others online? Take a
computers nowadays allow for easy screen
look at Common Sense Education’s Private
capturing. Even if a snapchat is disappearing,
Today, Public Tomorrow lesson.
someone can capture it with a quick click or two https://www.commonsensemedia.org/edu-
before it goes “poof” and disappears. So where cators/lesson/private-today-public-tomor-
could your picture be? row-9-12

Photo-sharing sites such as Flickr or Instagram

allow open and unrestricted (as well as private)
sharing of pictures. Your data could be on a
company’s server or copied to users’ personal devices.

Webcam sharing sites also can cause problems when people record your actions. Sites such as
Omegle and Chat Roulette often attract criminal behaviors due to their anonymity. Sometimes these
“anonymous” services encourage people to be more adventurous and risky, but being online is
never completely anonymous. It only takes screen or webcam capturing software to allow a copy
to be made, thus making that private incident all of a sudden not so private.

Cloud storage sites such as iCloud, OneDrive, GoogleDrive, or Dropbox allow server space for people
to store material, such as images, virtually. Other users, with permission, then can access the files.
Once again, it is difficult to know where your content actually sits and where the cloud servers are
based. Those that are based outside of the United States often don’t have the same laws about personal
data, and your content could be sold and shared with other networks globally.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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I’m Panicking ...
Now what? What are the first If you decide you need to do something,
things I should do when don’t wait. The quicker you deal with it, the
better chance there is of managing what
something goes wrong?
could become an unmanageable spread
It might seem like the end of the world if your
of the image.
image has gotten out to the rest of the world
when you didn’t want it to, but try not to panic!
Take a deep breath and give yourself a chance
to think about how this might affect you.

First off, are you ok? You don’t have to shoulder this alone. Find
a trusted person to support
you right now: an older sibling, a family member, a teacher, or a coach. You choose.
Check out the list of some organizations that can help on the next page.

If you’ve sent something directly to someone’s cell phone and then had second thoughts, you
need
to have an honest conversation with them as soon as possible to get them to delete
it.

Sometimes, that first step of asking for help is

a difficult one. But you have to be honest with
yourself. Real friends and professionals trying
to help are only able to do so when they know
all the facts. If you know of a friend who is
trying to deal with this, help him or her get the
support he or she needs.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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Who Can Help Me?
Feel like you need to clue in your
Family members and caregivers
parents to what the digital world looks
It may be your worst nightmare, thinking of telling your
like? Point them to Common Sense’s
parents or caregivers you shared intimate pictures.
Connecting Families.
And yes, they may be less than pleased at first, but
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
they need to know; how are they going to support you
educators/connecting-families
if they don’t know what’s going on? Remember, you
are not alone. A family member may have encountered
similar trying situations too.

Yes, they will probably be very upset and disappointed,

but they
will likely respect you more for being up-front about it … and they can be an
important source of support while you’re managing this stressful and complicated situation.

School
You might want to consider telling someone at school, as your welfare is their no. 1 concern. Trained
staff have access to a whole range of help. Reach out to someone you feel comfortable confiding in
such as a school counselor, a teacher, or a coach. It will be much more effective dealing with this
together than on your own.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children can help provide advice to you and your family
when something like this happens. Visit their site at http://www.missingkids.com/home. There also is a
great film about sexting called “Exposed”; it’s on YouTube at http://bit.ly/hePkDE.

Local police
Police sometimes are involved if an incident involves the well-being of minors. However, they are also
trained to support before, as well as after, something occurs.

Which organizations can help me?

Love Is Respect www.loveisrespect.org
Crisis Text Line www.crisistextline.org
ThinkUknow www.thinkuknow.co.uk

There are lots of places you can go to for support and advice. Consider who is the best person to
support you. It
could be a trusted adult from a youth club, job, sports team, or faith-based
organization. Anyone who is trained to support young people should have some ideas for you.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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I’m just the recipient!!!!
What do you do if you get someones else’s picture or you see someone else’s embarrassing picture
being sent around? What would you do? If you see someone’s picture going around -- or it gets
sent to you -- the best thing to do is “delete and don’t repeat.” Delete the message from your phone
and do your best not to repeat it or join in on the gossip. We know it can be tempting to get caught up
in the gossip and share the image, but it is important to withstand the temptation and let a trusted adult
know about the situation. It’s also important to remember that there is a real person behind the
image, who may not enjoy what is being said or done regarding his or her photo.

Will I Get into Trouble?

Although the law was not designed to punish young people for making mistakes, when it comes to
minors and naked images, the law draws a stern line. And although each state’s laws can differ, the
majority of them have severe penalties, intended to protect minors from exploitation. Exploitation can
lead to the trade of or profit from sexual pictures of minors, even those that were taken and shared with
consent. Thismeans that if you are under 18 and you create, send, or receive sexually
explicit images of another minor, under current federal laws, it could be considered child
pornography. This includes taking a picture of yourself.

Whether it makes sense or not, those who that consensually share intimate photographs of minors
with one another face the same punishment as those who maliciously send naked pictures of minors.
Even those who receive the picture of a minor, even without asking to see it, can be
prosecuted. That could mean being charged with a misdemeanor or worse. One could face felony
charges, prison time, and mandatory sex-offender registration. So it is important to ask yourself, is it
really worth it? Do I want to take that chance?

More information on sexting laws in your state can be found at:

http://mobilemediaguard.com/state_main.html.

Is this going to affect things for me in the future?

Hopefully, in most cases, your continuing digital life will “bury” your mistakes as time goes on with
positive content that you would want the world to see. There is, however, no guarantee that the pictures
will not be seen by others later. Your reputation could be affected if future employers or college
admissions officers come across the incident. Be prepared to be honest and open to admitting a
mistake whether it’s with future relationships, new friendships, or potential career connections.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE 13
Thinking Twice
Sexting isn’t the only kind of content
to think twice about sharing.
We’re talking a lot about sexting because it’s a really easy way that teens can end up in sticky situations,
but there are other behaviors and actions that can get you in a similarly undesirable situation if you aren’t
paying attention. The next few sections share a few tips that apply to EVERYONE -- whether
you’ve ever sent a sext or never will. If you’re a kid with a cell phone or a social media account (or you
might ever have one), there are a few things you should know.

So before you post, tweet, text, or press that send button, take a mo-
ment and think:
Could this photo get me in trouble?
Could this get my partner or friend in trouble?
Is this photo going to cause drama?
Am I aware that anyone can share it?
Would I be ok with my grandma seeing it?
A year from now, will I feel good about sharing this image?

Knowing who your “friends” are ...

Social media is part of your everyday life, and it’s probably not going
away anytime soon. Since it is here to stay, it’s important to ensure it
is working for you and not against you. There
are two important
steps that everyone should take to help make sure their Check out this poster for some quick
social media pages are in good shape. tips on how to determine if you
should send out an image or not:
https://www.commonsensemedia.
org/sites/default/files/uploads/pdfs/
First, think carefully about who you approve to follow should-i-share_24x36.pdf
or friend you. What is your definition of a “friend” or a “friend of a
friend”? We often add “friends” because our other friends know them
or because we feel that having a larger following will help in having more likes. Ask yourself, “Who would
stand beside me when things go wrong?” Take a moment to think about how an online-only
friend differs from a friend you know offline. Is having a bigger following or more likes
worth the risk if something does get out? Bottom line is, it is difficult to track who has seen what
and how they might react and share going forward.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

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Second, take ownership of your profiles … There are
several ways in which you can choose who sees what on your profile
by controlling your privacy settings. Controlling
your privacy
settings helps reduce the chances of an image getting into
the wrong hands. Keep in mind: Just because you have a private
profile doesn’t mean that once the image has been sent to another
person they have the same settings. That is a big what-if. Remember,
once the image is up online or in the cloud, it has the chance to go
public, which leaves it as fair game for anyone who comes across it.
So although making something private isn’t completely fool proof, it’s a really important step to make
sure you’re doing whatever you can to choose privacy settings that make sense for you. Here’s a link to
a “down and dirty” guide to how you can take control of your privacy on Facebook: www.swgfl.org.uk/
FacebookChecklist.

Rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t want your grandmother seeing something, don’t post,
share or take it!
,

Knowing About Your Reputation

Do you know what’s online about you?
You should first check what others can see about you. Search for your name using Google or other
search engines to see what information already exists about you. Although you may not have added
anything new, your friends and family might have.

If you find anything offensive or require anything to be removed, report it to the hosting site immediately.
Remember, the image will need to break the site’s terms and conditions. If it is a naked or semi-naked
image of you, the legal implications will mean that the site host is likely to remove it quickly.

Not sure exactly how to take down those embarrassing or inappropriate photos? Take a look at this
infographic from Who Is Hosting This on How to Remove Your Embarrassing Photos from Social Media:
http://www.whoishostingthis.com/blog/2014/09/16/remove-photos/

Increase and curate your positive online presence ... If you feel as though your online presence is not
what you want it to be at the moment, proactively create a positive online presence that, over time, may
overshadow those past online mistakes. Think before you post. Take a moment to imagine those
“what if’s” to determine whether that post or that text is really worth it.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE 15
What Do I Do Now?
There are ways that you can challenge content
published by others using a site’s “report abuse”
option. It’s important to draw these sites’ attention to
Feel like you left a digital footprint you are
the content as quickly as possible and to indicate why
now regretting? Not the end of the world.
you think it should be removed. It’s not enough to say, “I
It just needs some thought on how you
don’t like it”; your request needs to show that it breaks can minimize the effect of your mistake
their terms and conditions of use. Sites such as Facebook and learn from it moving forward.
and Instagram don’t allow nudity, so be concrete and
direct when reporting. We’ve included some links to these
reporting routes at the end of this booklet. Noting “this
content contains nude images of a minor” is
more clear and more likely to get the site to take
action than just saying, “I don’t want this image online.”

It is also important to understand how you can change or remove content that you have posted. That
profile pic of you in your underwear was funny at the time, but now you’ve changed your
mind. While you can’t be sure if others have saved it or if copies will live on in other servers, taking it
down is a really important and valuable step.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

16
CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE
About This Resource
This resource is a derivative of “So You Got Naked Online” by South West Grid for Learning and UK
Safer Internet Centre. This resource has been adapted by Common Sense Education.

The South West Grid for Learning Trust is a not for profit, charitable trust company, providing
schools and many other educational establishments throughout the United Kingdom with safe, secure,
and reliable broadband Internet connectivity; broadband-enabled learning resources and services; and
help, support, and advice on using the Internet safely. Find more resources at www.swgfl.org.uk.

Common Sense Education is the nation’s leading independent non-profit organization dedicated
to empowering kids to thrive in a world of media and technology. Familes, educators, and policy makers
turn to Common Sense for unbiased information and trusted advice to help them learn how to harness
the positive power of media and technology for all kids. Find more resources at
www.commonsensemedia.org/educators.

© 2015 Common Sense Media, Inc. / www.commonsense.org/educators

CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE