Why might a teen engage in sexting?

Teens think in the moment. So they don't ever think about, well, if this boy breaks up with me, what's he going to do with this picture?

Or if this girl gets angry at me, what's she going to do with this picture? They don't think about the long-term effect. They only think about what's happening in the moment.

[UPBEAT MUSIC]

Teenagers are engaging in sexting, sending explicit pictures of themselves half naked in their underwear,

fully naked to their friends and boyfriends at greater numbers than ever before. Current research shows that up to 82% of teens

are engaging in this behavior at least once. So why are they doing this? A, it's the norm. So many of them are kind of numb to what this means that it

feels like normal behavior. B, they are pressured in some ways to do it because they think that a boy will like them more,

or they're doing it to kind of enhance the relationship with the boyfriend. And teens think in the moment, so they don't ever think about,

well, if this boy breaks up with me, what's he going to do with this picture? Or if this girl gets angry at me, what's she going to do with this picture?

They don't think about the long-term effect. They only think about what's happening in the moment. And C, they just don't always know any better.

They do an impulsive act, thinking it's no big deal, never thinking about the repercussions later. So it's really important to sit down and talk

about what might happen if they do this, why this isn't a good idea, how this could impact them later, and hopefully teach them not to do it in the moment.