Although sexting with your partner is certainly on the rise, and experts suggest that sexting is good for relationships in a lot of cases, everyone knows that there's a danger inherent in it. When you send photos or texts of yourself, you're putting them out there where they can be misused both by who you're sending them to — and by hackers.
It's scary stuff, but a new app claims to end all that. SessMe app allows you to delete images from an entire network, as well as prevent screenshots and forwards. Meaning your sexy images and messages are seen only be the eyes you meant to see it, and you can even control how long that person sees it for.
With the rise of revenge porn (that legislation is still catching up to) and intimate images being used against the sender, it's a way to make people safer engaging in behavior where they are vulnerable. Although Carrie Goldberg of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative told The Daily Dot that as soon as one of these apps are released, a lot of other apps are released to work around it. Plus, certain features don't work on all phones. Even the SessMe page says "Every user is recommended to consider [sic] before sending a message because it is possible in a theoretical scenario that the protections that the app offers will be breached and as a consequence there will be an invasion of the user’s privacy.". But it's a good start.
So it's important to make a responsible choice. I still have done it, but only with people I knew I would be comfortable having those images after we broke up and because I know that, I'm pretty relaxed with the idea of people seeing me naked.
But if you're a more private person, who you need to be aware of the risks. So here are other ways to make sure you're having safe sext:
1. Delete, Delete, Delete
The best way to make sure things aren't seen by those you don't want seeing is to delete them. It sounds obvious, but I ended up shouting "NO!" at the poor guy who worked at the store when he opened up my photos to back them up before fixing my computer. There were things on there that cannot be unseen. Yes, things can be retrieved or fished out, but it's a good line of defense. Also, you can delete your EXIF metadata which is something too fancy for me to understand, but it means that people won't be able to tell which images were captured on your phone.
2. Be A Responsible Receiver
Safe sexting isn't just about the sender. As Goldberg points out: "The onus can not only be on the victim. The emphasis in our society needs to be placed on recipients of images not sharing them without consent." So if you're the recipient, even if you're not someone who would forward them along, make sure you're being responsible and keeping the images where someone won't just stumble across them.
3. Avoid Sending These Things
An easy way to make sure your sexts aren't identifiable as you is not to include anything identifiable. That means avoiding your face, tattoos, any birth marks— anything that people will see and immediately know as you. Also, don't think sexts need to be over the top sext-y. According to Self, 32 percent of sexters are turned off by very graphic sexts, so remember that sometimes less can be more.
Want more of Bustle's Sex and Relationships coverage? Check out our video on sex positions for small penises:
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