
Experts
have warned that starlets who promote their naked photos and videos are
encouraging teens in Australia to take up sexting.
Child
education expert and former police officer Susan McLean, said parents
and teachers are at a loss to explain the prevalence of sexting in
schools.
But she believes the bombardment of naked photos and
videos associated with starlets like Kim Kardashian, Lara Bingle and
Vanessa Hudgens may be partly to blame.
"You can Google almost
any celebrity these days and find a link to sex tape, and there is
pressure on girls to confirm," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as
saying.
"They are certainly not mimicking the behaviour of teachers and parents," she said.
She
also said songs like Ke$ha's Dirty Picture, in which the pop star
implores her lover to "take a dirty picture for me" may also contribute
to the normalisation of nude photography among impressionable teens.
"The
number one reason girls give for sending these pictures was to be fun
or flirtatious. I don't think people have appreciated how these
celebrity images have built up over time," McLean stated.
A
YouTube campaign urging teens to "Think before sexting" was launched
last month in Canberra showing the story of Megan, who sent images to
her boyfriend, which were then handed around her classroom.
Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said it was one video he hoped teens would not keep to themselves.
"We
want to make sure that it's distributed as far and wide as possible,
schools and others will be encouraged to use this video," he added.