Protect your safety and privacy with secure, encrypted messaging
Gina met someone great during her recent trip to Hawaii. They hit it off and have been a couple ever since. The only problem? Amanda lives and works more than 2,000 miles away from Gina’s home in Tennessee. They fly back and forth on weekends when they can, but for now, most of their relationship takes place via text and live chat. Things are getting hot. . .photos are being shared. . .but just how safe is sexting, exactly?
Sexting has been largely associated with teens and young adults. Lots of articles have been written to help parents keep their kids safe; but these days, plenty of grownups are sexting, too. In 2015, an LA Times survey found that:
- 88% of respondents (with an average age of 35) had sexted at least once
- 74% said they sexted with a partner within a committed relationship
- 96% admitted that they endorsed the practice of sexting
Nearly 25% of adults who receive photo sexts share them with about three other people, according to research by the Kinsey Institute. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
The risky business of sexting –Exchanging titillating messages with a committed, trusted partner may be fun, but always be aware of what could go very, very wrong if you’re not careful.
The “oops” – It’s relatively easy to inadvertently send a racy photo or comment to the wrong person, and the embarrassment—while not fatal—can be excruciating. One accidental slip of the finger, and Phil’s mechanic Leon might get a look under the hood that he wasn’t expecting!
Things can get out of hand – If your mobile device with all your naughty images gets lost or stolen, your personal content could end up getting shared or uploaded without your knowledge. Joanna lost several nights’ sleep when her phone went temporarily AWOL during a conference in Toronto.
When sext becomes scorn – Things went south with your latest Romeo? Too bad he has all those provocative photos of you on his phone! When Ray was going through an ugly split with his ex- Olivia, he was relieved that he’d never given in to her desire to exchange racy photos while they were together.
Your saucy content could live on. . .and on – Depending on the platform you use to transmit your sext, that message sent in the heat of the moment could actually exist digitally forever. Doug felt OK about using Snapchat to send images to his wife Stacey―until he heard that, despite what he’d been told, messages never really disappear from the company’s servers. . .
PRO TIP: Always remember that when it comes to sexting, the “worst-case scenario” isn’t as improbable as you’d think
CHECKLIST: What you need to know before you send that next saucy text
- Only send your lusty messages to someone you know well, and trust
- And group sexts aren’t a thing—or at least they shouldn’t be—oh just don’t, OK?
- Think about whether or not you REALLY want to include your face in that shot. . .
- Never, ever sext in the workplace—Judy from HR could be looking over your shoulder!
- Don’t drink and sext: Every mojito makes your fingers slipperier and slipperier: Just say NO to accidentally sending a pic of your booty to your landscaper, Reggie
- Before you send your next sext, make sure that the messaging platform you’re using is encrypted and can guarantee that any trace of your message will be completely destroyed after you send it
Wanna sext safely? Just Dust ‘em!
While sexting can be a fun way to keep the fire going (or get one started!) in a relationship, if you’re not careful, things can go wrong—VERY wrong. It’s crucial to keep your sexting private by using a system with strong encryption that will completely destroy your messages after they’re sent.
Using the next generation of secure messaging technology, Dust provides a safe and encrypted way to exchange personal messages and photos whenever you’d like, with whomever you wish. It’s engineered to prevent unidentifiable photos (see the third item in the checklist above) from being associated with your screennames to add an extra layer of privacy.
After sending, Dust eliminates any trace of your message―and even lets you delete a message or photo from the device of the person you’re messaging!