Promoting Tech Ethics in the Wake of "Sexting"

Although it may be nearly impossible - physically - for schools to control what students are doing with their personal digital devices (phones, iPods, etc.), I believe that it is completely within our schools' ability to try and inform students as to the nature and pitfalls of the technology that plays such an immense role in their lives.  Warning students that media shared via phone or on the internet becomes and stays accessible for an audience that they may not be able to select and control is an important lesson to be taught.  In the example of "sexting," as soon as somebody else has access to view the image, they may just as easily have the means to further distribute it.  Demonstrating a couple popular "viral" internet videos on YouTube could help begin a discussion about the new power that people have, via technology, to distribute media with extreme ease. 

One way that schools can address the topic in a formal setting could be - for example - as part of the curriculum for a required health course.  If schools have already taken the responsibility of promoting the practice of safe sex, explaining to students how to protect themselves from other forms of sexual exploitation, such as the unwarranted distribution of images or video, could just as easily become part of that health lesson.  Promoting responsible use of technology not only could provide emotional protection for young people, but also serves as a lesson in ethics which they will need to carry with them as active members of society, in the workplace, and in the general public.  With a reduction in activities, such as "sexting," educators also ensure that there is one less distraction that could prevent their students from performing their best while in school.