Think before sharing private photos – Minister warns youths against sexting

Education Minister Priya Manickchand has taken to her social media page to offer words of advice to the nation’s children and young adults regarding sharing of personal photos.

The minister on Wednesday advised both children and young adults to desist from participating in sexting (sending sexually suggestive or explicit messages either in text, image, or video form), and has admonished them that engaging in this activity could have negative impacts.
“I wanted to talk to you about something that is causing way too much hurt to too many young people, although for me, even if were one, it would be too many; and that is: the usage of your cell phones and devices and cameras on those cell phones and devices, and how they can hurt you, and how they have been hurting our young people and a lot of women also, who are not young and school children; but I’m talking here to our school children particularly.”
Minister Manickchand has highlighted that there have been many instances wherein children, particularly young girls, share explicit photos and videos with friends or persons they feel somewhat comfortable with. However, these photos are often times shared beyond these trusted individuals.
“I’ve seen persons taking pictures of their naked or semi-clothed body, either stills or videos, and sending it to people they think are friends, or that they think would preserve their privacy; and I’ve seen how those pictures and/or videos have been used to hurt our young people, particularly our girls; so, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about that.”
The Education Minister has thus told children to desist from participating in sexting. She highlighted that, by sharing these photos, individuals are putting a lot on the line.
“When you take pictures and videos and you send it to anyone, you give up a whole lot of power. So, the first thing you should do if you want to take pictures and videos is to ask yourself how you would feel if this were on a billboard that you had to pass and see, or how you would feel if it were exposed on the internet. And those are relevant questions, because that is exactly what could happen and what has happened to many young people,” she has admonished.
Moreover, the minister has shared words of encouragement for persons whose private photos have been circulated without their consent.
“Now, I’m also saying this: if you’ve already done that, the world is not at an end, and you’ll be fine. And if you have done that and anyone is blackmailing you or threatening you with the usage of those pictures, just let us know, and we will make sure they don’t have that power over you. If it’s done already, it’s done; don’t let that define you.”
The minister, in warning individuals from sharing persons’ private photos without their consent, has advised that participating in such actions could result in severe consequences for the sharers.
“We can get into a lot of trouble. So, people sharing and posting or reposting videos and photographs, please know that’s a crime, and under our laws and under many laws across the world, you can get into a lot of trouble for it. So, I ask you not to do that, and to be conscious of how you can hurt people when you do it,” Minister Manickchand has appealed.