WhatsApp Sexting – What Is It and How To Protect Children From It
Camila Moore
Updated Jul 12, 2024
Sexting has replaced love letters in modern times, offering partners and spouses to express their love intimately. However, when such conduct is done by minors, then there is a cause for concern.
Unfortunately, this has become a common practice among teens, especially, and most of it is done on popular platforms like WhatsApp.This is a standard example of hiding in plain sight.
So, how do you avoid WhatsApp sexting? What are the tips to educate both parents and the younger generation?
We have highlighted everything in this detailed guide. Read on!
Sexting is an act of expressing love and lust to another person, who is generally the spouse, partner, or lover, using messaging applications.
At first, it was commonly done over SMS, but now, thanks to the rising popularity of social media platforms like WhatsApp, people flirt on it, knowing that the conversations are encrypted and no one other than the intended party can view them.
Is WhatsApp sexting just limited to text messages?
Well no!
Besides texts, this includes sharing links to pornography, personal fantasies, and mostly explicit photos or videos of one another.
It is similar to an everyday conversation on WhatsApp, but this type of texting generally turns the heat up a notch or two.
There is no denying that WhatsApp is popular among all age groups. Not only is it easy to use, but the end-to-end encryption makes it a safe platform to commit sexting.
Besides the security, Meta recently introduced the one-time view feature, which allows users to send messages like intimate photos, lusty videos, and racy voice notes to one another. Once the sensitive file is viewed by the intended user, it disappears. What’s more, it can not be screenshotted.
This sole feature is enough for teens to choose WhatsApp sexting simply to hide their acts from parents, guardians, or teachers.
In addition, they can do free WhatsApp sexting on phones and PCs!
Adults are responsible for their actions, and despite this fact, it is recommended that they be cautious when sexting on WhatsApp. Even a slight bit of slip-up can prove to bring repercussions.
So, imagine a teenager who is still in the process of learning how the real world works and gets involved in sexting!
Here are some dangers teens can get exposed to if they are involved in WhatsApp sext messages.
Minors do not have a better idea of how a relationship works and the implications that come up if it fails. So, why send an intimate message via WhatsApp to another person whom they have only known for a short while?
There will be a high chance that they could ask for more and, upon refusal, threaten to share the photo, video, or text with others. In most cases, the teen will give in to the blackmailing just so their parents won’t find out.
What if the WhatsApp sext falls into the wrong hands? What if they share the file with common acquaintances or share it on other social media files? Dealing with this situation is enough to cause severe mental health issues in the teen. This can also get the child exposed to strangers, predators, and stalkers online.
Gen Z prefers to text in codes, like LOL, to laugh out loud. So, naturally, there would be hidden symbols or meaning behind a text that would act as a sext to the receiver.
Here are some of the common WhatsApp sexting codes that every parent should be informed about!
LH6: Let’s Have Sex
IWSN: I want sex now
NIFOC: Nude in front of a computer
CU46: See you for sex
99: Parents are gone
KOTL: Kiss On The Lips
53X: Sex
P911: Parent alert
PAL: Parents Are Listening
IPN: I am Posting Naked
Children will leave breadcrumbs everywhere for parents to notice something is wrong with them. So, if they are involved in WhatsApp sexting, you only need to notice the small signs.
We have highlighted some here.
Naturally, your kid will be more secretive around you, especially while using the phone so that you won’t find out! They will become overly protective of their devices and hide them from you.
Parents normally have a clue of who their child hangs with during or after school. So, if they have stopped being friends with their usual mates and started interacting with someone you don’t know, they could be sext partners.
On a normal day, sexting is a distraction, even for adults, affecting their day-to-day activities. If the teen is doing WhatsApp sexting, their grades may drop.
If the teen is showing erratic behavior, there is a chance that they have been exposed to the dangers of sexting, like blackmailing or revenge porn. This sign is too easy to notice.
Spotting the signs isn’t enough! You need solid proof before applying the necessary means to protect your kid from WhatsApp sexting.
We recommend Spylix, a high-quality social media spy app that allows you to monitor WhatsApp messages remotely without the child finding out about it. In addition, it works on all Android and iOS devices, taking mere minutes to install.
Here are the Spylix features that let you find WhatsApp sext messages on your child’s phone!
Recommendation Index: 5/5
Spylix is the best choice for tracking the child’s WhatsApp messages for the following reasons!
It only takes a few minutes to complete installation on the child’s phone. You only need to install the app if the target device is Android. For iPhone spying, only the kid’s iCloud credentials are enough!
Step 1: Make a Spylix account
Go to the official Spylix website and click the Sign Up Free button. Next, enter your email address to set up a free account.
Step 2: Share The Child’s iCloud Account Details
Enter your kid’s iCloud account credentials to verify their iPhone or iPad.
Step 3: Find WhatsApp Sexting on Child’s iPhone
Access the online dashboard and go to the Social Networks section. There, select WhatsApp to review the messages.
Step 1: Create A Free Spylix Account
Access the Spylix website, and click Sign Up Free. Afterward, enter a valid email address to create a new account.
Step 2: Install The Spylix App
Go through the on-screen instructions to set up the Spylix application on the child’s Android device.
Step 3: Find WhatsApp Sexting on Child’s Android Device
Open the web-based control panel and tap WhatsApp under the Social Networks to read the sexting details.
Other than WhatsApp spying, you can spot sexting on all the top social media apps (if any), including Snapchat, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, Skype, etc.
In addition, you can block apps and websites that are not suitable for minors. Also, its Keylogger feature can assist in identifying the sexting-related words typed on your child’s phone.
It is vital to keep the teens educated about everything, even inform them of sex education(when the time is right). The discussion should be conducted in a pleasant environment and a mature tone.
Tell them what are the harms of sexting when one is a minor and how it can affect not only them but also their loved ones. It is vital to work together, as blaming such a mess would only reap negative consequences. Moreover, in the future, the teen will not entrust you with something of importance and consequential.
WhatsApp sexting can be fruitful for a relationship, but if this activity is done among minors, it can take a dark turn. It is essential to educate the children on what is suitable and what is inappropriate for their age group.
However, if you are still not convinced that you have gotten through to them, then enable Spylix to spot sexting and stop it instantly using the App/URL blocking features.
There is so much you can do with Spylix that there’s simply no way to fit them all into one short list. Here are some of the prominent features that our customers love the most!
