In addition, he said digital communication means every image can be instantly and easily retransmitted and publicized; and even the most private communications often become public.
“Transgression is a key theme in contemporary youth culture,” he said. “This kind of exhibitionism is viewed as a pointed rejection of outmoded taboos about the body and sexuality.”
It’s also at minimum a plea to be viewed as “popular,” said Rob Zidar, co-founder of ThirdParent, an Internet safety tool and early warning system for parents and teachers.
“Given the increasing importance of smartphones and social media in teen lives, these are the platforms that teens are using to develop their personal brand and grow their popularity,” Zidar said. “The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is driving them to do things that parents find horrifying and they really wouldn’t do absent the pressure to be part of the cool crowd.”
Digital technology and how it is changing the way families live and love will be the subject of a two-day Council on Contemporary Families conference in April at the University of Miami.