We asked your thoughts on Sexting after a local forum was held for parents.
The answer is simple. Parents that are concerned, should simply take cell phones away from these kids. What does a 12 year old need a cell phone for? No kid has ever had them in the past, and there is not reason for them to have them now. Another opportunity is to give kids phones without picture messaging service enabled. - Jack, San Diego
We have to spend money on a task force? Did you think that maybe the parents are at fault for letting their kids have text and picture messaging? Don't get a kid a picture phone or limit the access... either way kids will do this with or without phones. It's not the phone companies fault. Look at yourself as a parent first. - Scott, El Cajon
I moderate a social networking website and I see photos transmitted from teens as young as 13 and 14 that are not only nude, but sexually explicit. I see adults who pose as young teens, attempting to groom and obtain inappropriate photos from teens via text messaging. This is a serious issue and parents are more to blame than anyone. They need to be more vigilant about their children's access to mobile phones. Take the phones away when they get home from school. Issue them back when they leave for school. Use only phones that are equipped with parental controls and tracking software, so that you can see exactly who your child is sending messages to & calling and vice versa. PAY ATTENTION! Don't assume your kid is behaving - GET INVOLVED! It sickens me to have to delete the amount of inappropriate content that I do... I shouldn't have to see ANY of it in the first place. Please, for the sake of your children, get involved in your kids' lives. They'll thank you later. - J, San Diego
As much as I may share the view that sexually explicit underage photography has no place in our society, it embarrasses and saddens me that someone would think that this was some fault of the phone companies. Sounds like another way to push the blame on corporate America versus spending quality time with your children and teaching them the pros and cons of the choices they make. - Shawn, San Diego
I think that kids sould not have cell phone that will be the best thing to stop sex text. - Bruce, La Jolla
This issue is larger than most parents think. Unfortunately, I found out about it the hard way and I thought that I was really "on top" of things! Parents...BEWARE! Our kids are ten steps ahead of us when it comes to technology. If YOU pay the bill, and/or your child(ren) are under the are of 18, then you have every right to view their text messages. REQUIRE them to not set their phones to "auto-erase" and DEMAND that you have access to view their texts, saved pictures, etc. at ANY TIME. Trust me...you'll be amazed at what your kids are sending and the language that they are using. - Lynda, Carlsbad
If these parents are so concerned about these sexually explicit messages their children are sending, why don't they disable the photo messages or get their children phones that do not have picture message capabilities? There are many models of cell phones that have parental controls. Parents are too worried about making sure their children are cool and have the latest technology rather than if they are truly safe. - Sandra, Fallbrook
