It seems almost impossible to imagine a world without technology. Video chats, emails, text messages and picture messages help people all over the world communicate with one another in a matter of seconds. Although such technological advances seem to simplify life for many, they have negatively changed the lives of many teenagers in the United States.

Sexting, the act of sending sexual messages or pictures to another person, is very common for teenagers across the country. It has become very popular for young boys and girls to send nude pictures of themselves to others. Expecting the pictures to be seen only by the person who received them, they disregard all the negative aspects of sexting. In many cases, the pictures somehow manage to get around to others and sooner or later, it becomes a dilemma.

Florida law states that “defendants charged must automatically register in the Florida sexual offender registry.” What many young people do not realize is that such a charge will follow them throughout the rest of their lives.

Since sexting is considered a form of child pornography, those who are charged as sexual predators will have their names on the registry for life. Such a charge can affect many young adults’ lives. No matter how hard someone tries to run away from it, the charges will remain on record for life.

Dealing with the pressures of high school is already more than enough. So, why is it that more and more teenagers take part in this foolish act every day? Having people talk about you behind your back, call you names, and view your private information, seems very unnecessary. Yet it seems that many of them fall under peer pressure.

“If I was a female student and I wrote all these hot and heavy stuff to some guy and then we broke up and he shared it with other people, it would affect me in a very negative way,” said Ms. Connie Navarro, principal.

At Felix Varela Senior High, teachers and administration have found ways to deal with such negative behavior. Sexting not only affects students’ personal lives, it also affects the academic achievements of their peers and even their own.

Although students are not allowed to be using cell phones during school hours, those who do, find themselves glued to their phones. Receiving explicit text and picture messages can cause distractions during class. When students share the information with one another, conflicts begin to form.

“If a student were to get caught [sexting], we would tell the parents. Depending on the severity of it, a student would get suspended. If it’s pictures and videos, it can even be thought of as child pornography,” said Navarro.

Many students have had their reputations ruined and have lost many friends all because of such childish behaviors. Our principal and teachers here at Felix Varela are encouraging us not to take part in these actions. As young adults we should be smart enough to refuse to be part of another growing statistic.

“I think teenagers can entertain themselves in different ways. I’d obviously be extremely embarrassed. You don’t really know where those pictures will end up or what the other person receiving them is thinking. That stuff should be kept private,” said senior Alejandra Del Giovane.

So why is it that teenagers find themselves sexting more and more every day? Most of us are fully aware of the consequences and know how much damage it can cause to our lives. Teenagers from all over the country who have transmitted explicit images to others serve as perfect examples for not taking part in these actions.

In the words of Ms. Navarro, “Don’t fall into the peer pressure. The consequences will follow you for the rest of your life.”