Sexting in the public domain: competing discourses in online news article comments in the USA and the UK involving teenage sexting. Issue 3 (3rd July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jenkins, Elizabeth M.; Stamp, Glen H.
• Is Part Of: Journal of children and media. Volume 12:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 295
• Page End: 311
• Publication Date: 2018-07-03
• Subjects: Sexting -- news comments -- teenagers -- sexual communication -- public domain -- public opinion; Mass media and children -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Mass media and youth -- Periodicals; 302.23083
• DOI: 10.1080/17482798.2018.1431556
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-2798

Abstract

Abstract: The current study examined the phenomenon of teenage sexting through an analysis of 1030 comments from 15 online stories in the US and the UK. Four competing messages emerged: (1) Innocuity: Is sexting a harmless or harmful activity?; (2) Comparability: Were teenagers in the past the same or different than current teenagers?; (3) Criminality: Is teenage sexting a criminal offense or a legal activity?; and (4) Sexuality: Is teenage sexting sexual exploration or sexual exploitation? The online comments indicated an overall struggle between two different discursive constructions of sexting: A discourse of normal connection and a discourse of aberrant exposure. Implications of these findings are discussed.