Sexting

Sexting means sending or receiving sexual messages, photos, or videos electronically — through texts, DMs, Snapchat, WhatsApp, or any other platform. It can involve written messages (dirty talk), nude or semi-nude photos, or sexual videos. Among adults, consensual sexting is legal and common. But if anyone involved is under 18, sharing nude or sexual images is illegal in the UK — even if it's a photo of yourself that you took willingly.

• Sexting is sending sexual messages, images, or videos via phone or online.
• If you're under 18, creating, sending, or possessing nude or sexual images of anyone under 18 is illegal — this includes selfies of your own body.
• Once you send an image, you lose control of it. It can be screenshotted, forwarded, or posted without your knowledge.
• Being pressured into sexting is not okay. You never owe anyone an image of your body.
• If something goes wrong, help is available — and it's not your fault.

The law for under-18s

This is the part a lot of young people don't know, or don't take seriously enough:

Under UK law, any sexual image of someone under 18 is classified as an indecent image of a child. This means it's technically illegal to:

• Take a nude photo of yourself if you're under 18
• Send it to someone
• Receive and keep it
• Forward it to anyone else

The law doesn't distinguish between a 15-year-old sending a selfie to their partner and an adult producing exploitative material — the same legislation covers both. In practice, police handle cases involving young people very differently from adult offenders. The focus is usually on safeguarding and education, not prosecution. A teenager sending a consensual nude to a partner is very unlikely to be criminalised — but the images still exist, the law still applies, and things can still go wrong.

The real risks

The legal risk matters, but the practical risks are what affect most young people day to day:

Loss of control. The moment you hit send, that image belongs to the other person's device. They can screenshot it, save it, show friends, or forward it — even if they promise they won't. Relationships end. Trust breaks. Phones get stolen or hacked. Images you sent to one person can end up with many.

It can be used against you. Some people use intimate images to bully, blackmail, or control someone. Someone might threaten to share your photos to keep you in a relationship, to get revenge after a breakup, or to force you to send more. This is image-based sexual abuse (sometimes called revenge porn), and it's a crime.

Pressure. A lot of sexting isn't truly voluntary. Someone might pressure you to send a nude — through guilt ("don't you trust me?"), flattery ("you're so fit, I just want to see you"), persistence (asking over and over until you give in), or threats. If someone is pressuring you, that's coercion, not flirting.

If you do choose to sext

This glossary isn't here to tell you what to do. But if you're over 18 and you choose to sext, a few things reduce the risk:

• Don't include your face or identifying features (tattoos, birthmarks, school uniform, room decorations)
• Use platforms with disappearing messages — though remember, screenshots still exist
• Only send to people you genuinely trust
• Know that there's always some risk, no matter how careful you are

If you're under 18, the safest approach is not to send nude images at all — not because your body is shameful, but because the legal and practical risks are real and the consequences can follow you.

Things people get wrong

"Everyone sexts, so it's fine." A lot of young people do sext, but "common" doesn't mean "risk-free." The images are still illegal if you're under 18, and the risks of them being shared don't go away because other people do it too.

"If I send it on Snapchat, it disappears." Screenshots exist. Screen recording exists. Third-party apps that save Snaps exist. Nothing digital truly disappears.

"If I sent it willingly, it's my fault if it gets shared." No. Sending an image to one person you trust is not the same as consenting to it being shared with anyone else. The person who shares it without your consent is the one at fault.

Things people ask about sexting

What if someone is pressuring me to send nudes?

That's not okay — it's coercion. You don't owe anyone an image of your body, no matter what they say. "No" is a complete answer. If they keep pushing or threaten you, tell someone you trust or contact Childline.

What if my nudes have been shared?

Don't panic. Screenshot any evidence of sharing or threats. Report to CEOP, the Internet Watch Foundation (who can get images of under-18s removed), or the police. Talk to someone you trust. It's not your fault.

Can I get in trouble for having someone else's nude on my phone?

If the person in the image is under 18, technically yes — possessing an indecent image of a child is an offence. If someone sends you an unsolicited nude and they're under 18, delete it. Don't forward it to anyone.

Is sexting just images, or does it include messages too?

Sexting covers both — sexual messages (text-based) and images/videos. Sexual messages between consenting people of the same age aren't illegal in the same way images are, but they can still be screenshotted and shared. Privacy applies to all of it.

Where to get help

• Childline (0800 1111) — free, confidential support for under-19s about anything, including sexting pressure and image sharing.
• CEOP — for reporting if someone is pressuring you online for sexual images or if you feel unsafe.
• Internet Watch Foundation — can help get sexual images of under-18s removed from the internet.
• Revenge Porn Helpline (0345 6000 459) — for anyone whose intimate images have been shared without consent.

Sexting means sending sexual messages, naked photos, or sexual videos through your phone or online. This includes things like texts, DMs, Snapchat, and WhatsApp.

If you're under 18, sharing naked or sexual pictures is against the law in the UK. That includes taking a naked photo of yourself and sending it to someone. In practice, the police usually try to help young people rather than punish them, but the law still applies and the risks are real.

The biggest risk is losing control of the picture. Once you send it, you can't take it back. The other person can screenshot it, show it to other people, or post it somewhere. Even if they promise they won't. Relationships end. People break promises. Phones get lost or stolen.

Some people use intimate pictures to bully, blackmail, or control someone. This is a crime called image-based sexual abuse.

If someone is pressuring you to send a naked picture — through guilt, flattery, or asking again and again — that's not okay. You never owe anyone a picture of your body.

If a picture of you has been shared without your permission, it's not your fault. You can get help. The Internet Watch Foundation can help get pictures taken down. You can also call Childline on 0800 1111 or report to CEOP.