How to Safely Share Your Best Naughty Pics

Countless people, whether in a relationship or not, have nude photos of themselves saved on a personal device. A 2013 study by online security solutions company McAfee showed that 96 percent of Americans had “dirty photos” on their phone, and almost 50 percent sent or received such content through texts, emails and apps.

While I applaud being comfortable in your body and celebrating it, it’s very important to know who you can trust with a revealing photo. What are the safest ways to share R- and even X-rated content?

First and foremost, know the law! Underage sexting is a criminal offense in some states, so what’s coming up is strictly for adventurous adults only.

The dangers of sharing dirty content

If you don’t care who sees you naked, then perhaps you have little concern about sharing your photos or videos—whatever the content—with someone you know.

But consider that those same photos or videos could end up being seen by others, either intentionally or unintentionally. For example, when you first send them, they could appear on the recipient’s phone or device, which could be sitting on their desk at work or the kitchen table where their grandmother is cooking dinner that night. Perhaps someone caught an accidental glimpse of you as your intended recipient was searching their smartphone for that cute photo of their pet hamster.

Then there’s the more obvious scenario where the recipient shares your photos with their friends. And let’s be generous and state that no phone is 100 percent hack-proof. There’s a chance your photos and videos could be stolen along with a bunch of passwords and bank account codes.

It may not matter now, but when you’re walking into an interview for a job you really want, the last thing you need is for the HR team to be frowning over a nude picture of you dancing in a public fountain. “Everyone has embarrassing photos online” may be an excuse that works among friends, but really, that image of you with the…and those ones with that… most employers are going to frown.

Who can you trust?

Many lovers agree, though, that sharing dirty pics or videos is sexy as all get out and remains a big part of some people’s sex life. Sexting keeps the relationship hot when you’re apart and spices up the romance when you’re together. Observing risqué pics and videos is a potent form of foreplay.

External factors—such as hacking—aside, sexting safety is twofold. Your first question should be: Can you trust the person you’re sending the goods to?

Even if you’re sharing with a long-term partner, it’s possible that person may not be your forever partner. How would you rate their judgment? Do you trust them to never show your personal photo to someone else? Or never thoughtlessly leave it up on their desktop? The opportunities for slip-ups are endless.

What if you don’t want to share, but your partner is pushing you hard to send dirty pics? You might consider that to be a red flag.

A good guideline to live by: If a photo or video is something you’re not comfortable with the world seeing, it may be best to save it for sharing in person or not take it at all.

In today’s high-tech world, mistakes can live forever.

Safest methods of sharing dirty material

The second question you should ask yourself about exchanging sexts is: Can you trust the platform you’re both using?

If you do decide to send raunchy media, be sure to thoroughly evaluate the apps you’re using. WhatsApp works for couples and, so far, has a decent reputation for being secure from hackers. Wickr causes photos to self-destruct within seconds, while both Confide and Dust delete pictures once they’ve been viewed. Privates, Diskreet and Bleep have multiple security measures to prevent screenshotting and hacking.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. But all the apps mentioned here are good starting options if you’re wary of your pictures being stored on someone else’s device.

When in doubt, the best safety tip is to make sure your face and any obvious identifying features, such as tattoos and birthmarks, aren’t in view. Also, consider deleting stored images from your devices (including in any cloud) and reading up on safe encryption for your device. Have your partners do the same and decide on a tech strategy.

Alternatives that work

You don’t have to commit to sending an image or video of yourself naked out into the ether and hoping for the best.

How about sending a dirty letter or text message? Perhaps simply pick up the phone and have a raunchy conversation or a video chat. How about a live striptease or a solo masturbation session for your partner, live and in-person.

Seriously, if you’re uncomfortable sending nude photos or videos—either because you're uncertain of your trust in the recipient or wary of the other ways everything could go awry—listen to your gut instinct and don’t send them. There are pros and cons, but if you have any doubts, it’s not worth it.

If this person is truly deserving of your affection, they’re going to be OK with your decision.