According to a 2018 survey, 40% of Americans have shared at least one naked photo of themselves, while data from 2015 indicates that nine out of ten adults have sexted. These activities, contrary to popular assumption, are not limited to single people on dating apps but are an integral component of committed bliss. According to the same 2015 survey, three out of four sexters were in long-term partnerships, and they were more likely than single persons to claim they were sexually pleased.

Being able to instantly swap images with someone no matter how far apart you are might be a lot of fun, but the simplicity of doing so can lead you to overlook possible pitfalls. Sending nudes, like having sex, can have unanticipated long-term implications that you may not be willing to deal with. However, by being cautious, you may easily reduce your risks and protect yourself.

There is no such thing as a totally risk-free nude

We’ll just say it: once you hit the submit button, you’ve given up complete control over your photograph.

“Technology can’t replace untrustworthy humans,” says Jacob Hoffman-Andrews, a senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “But it can help you articulate your limits and make it a bit tougher to breach them.”

Some programs will alert you if someone attempts to take a screenshot of your image, but they will not prohibit them from doing so. A recipient could potentially easily take a shot of the screen with another device without notifying you.

Follow basic sext etiquette.

There are certain fundamental decency norms to follow while exchanging nudes. First and foremost, if you receive one, keep it to yourself. It is for you and you alone. When you share a private photo, you’re not only betraying the sender’s confidence, but you’re also increasing the chances of it ending up in the wrong hands, or worse, on the internet. Sharing naked images of someone without their agreement is a criminal in various places. Simply put, don’t do that.

Second, don’t post nude photos of someone else online. The same rule applies: don’t be a jerk.

Third, like with anything sexy, consent is essential. It must be respected. Sending nudes to someone you don’t know is not a good idea. Have a dialogue about how they feel about unsolicited nudes if you’re in a relationship with someone, no matter how casual. Some people may like a sexual snapshot in the middle of the day, while others may not. Discuss your partner’s preferences and limitations, and respect them.

Most secure way to send nude pictures

Before we begin, a disclaimer: the best approach to ensure that nude images of yourself never get up somewhere you didn’t want is to avoid taking nude photos in the first place. However, it’s critical to acknowledge that abstinence-only teaching is insufficient. So, while staying secure without resorting to digital abstinence is an option (and no one should ever urge you to take compromising images of yourself), this advice will focus on how to stay safe without resorting to nudity.

If you’re unsure, don’t do it.

Only send naked images to people you know and trust. People you’ve matched with on dating apps but never met, online contacts you’re not convinced are real, and people who give you the smallest sign they’re untrustworthy aren’t included.

“The biggest danger of sending a naked message is that the person on the other end is not as trustworthy as you believe. “Or that they are trustworthy now but will become less so in the future, such as after a breakup,” Hoffman-Andrews says.

Knowing who to trust isn’t an exact science, but asking yourself this question before sending them a naked picture of yourself could save you a lot of grief.

Yes, this sounds frightening, but that doesn’t imply you should become a nihilist or stop sending nudes entirely. Instead, concentrate on managing the aspects of your life that you have control over.

Make Sure You Can Trust on the Recipient

Unfortunately, figuring out how to trust someone else is too hard for a guide like this, but there are a few red signals that may indicate it’s best to wait:

• You’ve only been acquainted with them for a short period. Hormones have the ability to make someone appear better, safer, and more fascinating than they are. It’s never a terrible idea to wait if you’ve just met someone and don’t know much about them.
• They’re pressuring you to do things you don’t want to do. If you don’t want to take pictures of yourself and your spouse says, “C’mon sweetie, I need to see you!” “This is a significant red signal that they don’t respect your personal space.”
• If the images were to leak, it would be detrimental to your personal or professional reputation. Depending on the industry or community in which you work, images of you may or may not cause much of a stir. In fact, several communities exist to encourage people to share their images with strangers of their own volition. You are not, however, necessary to be a member of that group. Even if you trust your partner, it may be wiser to avoid sharing if you think your work, family, or friends will be harmed.

Remember the most important rule: you should always be able to say no. Not only the initial taking and sharing of images but everything that follows. If someone attempts to take that option away from you, they aren’t honoring your consent and may not be an appropriate person with whom to share sensitive photographs.

Practice some basic cybersecurity skills.

Make sure you’re staying secure on the internet in general. Begin by creating unique and secure passwords, patterns, PINs, passcodes, or biometrics for all of your accounts and devices. If keeping track of all that information is too much for you, use a password manager and make sure all of your accounts have two-factor authentication enabled.

All of this should be second nature to you, but it’s especially critical if you’re sharing nudes. You want to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to break into your accounts or devices and obtain access to your erotic stuff.

Where to hide nudes photos

Moving your images to a password-protected folder on your device is the simplest method. Go to the Files app on Android, then Images & Pictures. Long-press on your nude to choose it, then tap the three dots in the top right corner of the screen to select Move to Safe Folder. You’ll need to enter a security pattern, passcode, or biometric feature to gain access to that folder, which can be the same as the one you use to unlock your phone or something completely different. You can also hide the folder so that somebody breaking into your device won’t be able to see or search for it.

A similar capability in Windows 10 allows you to utilize File Explorer to password-protect any file or folder. Simply right-click the item and select Properties, then Advanced. At the bottom of the dialog box, select Encrypt content to safeguard data, then OK, then Apply. Select whether you want to encrypt simply the file or the entire folder where it’s stored in the following dialog box, then click OK.

You may also establish password-protected folders with Apple’s computer operating system. Save your nudes in a folder, then open Disc Utility and go to File, New Image, then Image from Folder… Then, using the Finder window that appears, locate the folder containing your nudes and click Choose. Select your encryption protocol, then enter and confirm your password under Encryption. Finally, select read/write from the Image Format drop-down menu and click Save. Single files can be protected in Preview as long as they’re saved as PDFs, and you can create protected files with integrated photos using the Notes app.

Although iOS doesn’t have a built-in solution, you can get a free Photo Vault app that works in the same way as Android’s “secure folder” on your iPhone. Photo Vault App is a free app where you can store your confidential files like nude photos with a security lock. You can organize and manage your files with privacy and safety.