These days, the phrase “send me a pic” has an entirely new meaning. Sparing all of the juicy details, sexting is the act of sending sexually suggestive messages, videos, or photos on a digital device. Regardless of age, background or relationship status, men and women across the globe are using sexting to communicate their affections to their partners.
According to recent statistics, 66% percent of teen girls and 60% of teen boys send sexts to one another to be fun and flirtatious. Another study reveals that 88% of age 18-22 adults aged 18-82 have sexted at least once in their life and 82% of those adults have sexted in the past year. That’s a lot of sexting, huh? The same study suggests that there is a correlation between sexting and satisfaction in relationships. As for the common contents of a sext, the most popular sext is a sexually suggestive photo and the least popular is a text propositioning sexual activity.
Since sexting is now a norm in modern relationships, it is easy to feel self-conscious or unsure about your sexting abilities. With that said, it can be a particularly daunting task no matter if you are single, casually dating, or in a committed relationship. Those that are not exactly confident in their cyber seducing abilities often turn to a friend or even to the ever-so-handy Google search for guidance.
So, which states in the US are the most interested in sexting? A recent study analyzed Google search trends to identify the states with the most and least savvy sexters based on prior search activity. Congratulations are in order for California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, and New York as they take the lead for the highest number of sexting-related searches performed. This data was determined by the number of times sexting-related phrases such as “how to sext” and “how to get a girl to sext” were searched. On the flip side, states such as Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Alaska, and Delaware seem to be lacking on the curiosity scale for whatever reason as they performed the least sexting-related searches. New Jersey, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi are the most confused in general as they are the states that searched “what is sexting?” the most frequently. Perhaps they could use a little advice from California, Texas, or New York?
It is worth noting that there are many potential legal implications associated with sexting. An overview of U.S. Sexting Laws and Regulations states that all 50 states have some type of law enforced for minors and their parents if caught sexting. While this does not apply to everyone, there are also potential effects of sexting if something goes awry. Extortion, embarrassment, bullying, and exposure to predators are all potential risks you take when hitting the send button.
Regardless of where your state may have landed on the sexting search scale, remember even the savviest of sexters could use a few tips every once in awhile. The next time you’re not sure what to sext, consider a quick Google search for some fresh ideas on how to text the love.
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