There’s been a recent flurry in the media on sexting ‘scandals’ and legal debates surrounding young people’s increasing use of their phones for sending saucy pics and texts. Adults around the world are growing more concerned about their kids’ digital sexual activity.

But let’s face it, if those same adults had the technology we have now when they were kids, there’s no doubt that they would have been sending a few cheeky Snapchats around. Also, who listens to adults anyway, not us! With nearly 40% of all teens admitting to have taken part at some point, sexting is a part of courtship now whether those crusty oldies like it or not.

So we thought we’d give you some helpful tips to make sure that when you sext (which we probably all will at some point) you do it in a way that keeps you safe and makes sure you won’t end up with your naughty bits on display for the whole world to see.

Know the law

Whether you agree with it or not, sexting is technically illegal if you’re under the age of 18. It counts as distribution of an indecent image of a child, even if that child is you. Sending an unwanted naked photo, no matter who it’s to, is also a crime. So don’t just send them out willy-nilly (sorry), make sure the person you’re sending to has agreed to receive the pic. Forwarding pics on? Also illegal. These are all real laws that you can definitely be punished for, so just be aware that they exist and think carefully before sending anything that might get you in trouble.

Do it with someone you trust

Sexting can be a great way to spice up a relationship or make a long distance one that little bit more bearable. We think sexting is great, as long as you do it with someone you trust. For example, maybe don’t rush into naughty messaging with someone you’ve just met (or are yet to meet - that means you, Tinder users!). If you’re not sure, don’t do it. The other person will understand, and if they don’t then definitely don’t do it!

There’s an app for everything, even sexting

There are literally hundreds of apps to make sexting better and safer. For example, Disckreet locks all your fears up along with your naughty photos by requiring both texters to enter a password to view the image you’re sharing. So if you’re worried about it getting out into the world, just don’t enter the password. Problem solved! It’s also great for avoiding that awkward moment when you’re showing your mum your holiday snaps and she swipes one pic too far…

A word paints 1000 pictures

If Fifty Shades Of Grey has taught us one thing, it’s that words can be sexy. If you want to heat things up in the digital world but don’t quite feel up to sending a picture, just use your words (or maybe a suggestive emoji or two). The imagination can be a wonderful thing…

Don’t cave to pressure

One of the main worries surround sexting is that people are being coerced into sending nude pictures only for the sake of showing off and sharing around. If you don’t want to send a picture, don’t. Nobody will think any less of you for saying no, in fact that kind of confidence will probably only make people think more of you.

If in doubt, Snapchat

Good old Snapchat, the home of safe, sexy picture messaging. 10 seconds and then it’s gone forever! Be careful though, where there’s a will there’s a way and there are some sneaky apps for saving photos out there, as well as that all-powerful screenshot button...

Keep it vague

We can’t imagine why anyone would ever leak or share a private pic, it’s a horrible thing to do. Unfortunately though, it can happen. So as a failsafe, keep your face or anything distinguishable out of it, at least then nobody can prove it’s you.

Delete as you go

Security goes both ways. You never know when someone might pick up your phone and nose around, so make sure anything personal is carefully locked away or deleted. So once you’re *ahem* finished, make sure you clear any incriminating pics off. Oh and don’t forget about that pesky ‘recently deleted’ folder!

No drunk dialling

As with most drunken decisions, sexting under the influence is generally a bad idea. Nobody wants to wake up in the morning with a phone full of cringy messages to someone who wasn’t quite as into it as you were at the time. This is a rule that applies to most situations; if you’ve had a drink, just put your phone away.

Take it slow

This is our final and most important rule, don’t rush into anything. Just take a second and think, do I really want to be doing this and what might the consequences be? If you do that and bare everything above in mind we guarantee you a future of happy and safe sexting. *winky emoji*

There’s one more area of safety when sexting that we can’t forget, the act of safe sex itself. That’s why we’ve introduced our old pal the condom to our newest pal the emoji keyboard for this World Aids Day. Don’t forget to download MTV’s SafeSext emoji keyboard and turn your foreplay into a threesome. For more info head to safesext.mtv.com or download the keyboard for Androidor Apple!