Safe Sexting ? Perceived legitimacy, perceived risk and perceived sharing risk in online publication of pictures of a personal nature.

This study focused on the way the public perceives sexting pictures. Perceived legitimacy, risk and sharing risk of participants(N=85) on sexting pictures were compared to other personal pictures through an online experiment. Two variables, fidelity(high and low) and scenario(consent versus nonconsensual publication), were manipulated in sexting and personal pictures. In an online experiment perceived risk, perceived sharing risk and perceived legitimacy were measured. To find out more about how the public perceives sexting. Significant results were found on all three scales when comparing sexting to non-sexting pictures. Because of their explicit nature they are perceived as more of a risk, sharing risk and less legitimate to publish. Perceived legitimacy was influenced by fidelity and scenario suggesting that legitimacy is extracted from picture quality and scenario through situation awareness. Perceived risk and perceived sharing risk seemed to have no connection to fidelity or scenario. The perceived risk and perceived sharing risk seemed to be derived directly from the picture itself, its quality, independent from the text-based context described attached to it. Risk seemed to be determined by situation awareness in a different way; as long as it is clear to see what is portrayed in the picture itself it was enough to determine the risk involved.