Smart phones, dumb choices: Five dangerous trends of student cell phone use

[Commentary] From sexting to cyberbullying, a momentary lapse in judgment on a smart phone or through social media can have lifelong consequences. Here are five digital trends that every educator should know about.

1. Privacy: Teens cannot assume any of their online or cell phone activity will remain private. One of the most common problems occurs when someone shares a photograph or other private information through texting or social media and expects complete privacy. Too often, either accidentally or on purpose, it spreads beyond the recipient or group of friends.
2. Anonymity: Educators, students and parents should never assume they can remain anonymous online. A large percentage of cases our attorneys handle involve another party harming our client anonymously, without using the party’s name or other identifying information. Almost every time, a person’s true identity can be tracked.
3. Cyberbullying: In the most extreme examples, harassment among students can lead to suicide. In 2008, a student in my hometown of Cincinnati hung herself after her ex-boyfriend shared her nude photos with other students. Sadly, this was not an isolated incident; bullying has led many students to take their own lives.
4. Sexting: The increased popularity and pressure to send racy photos amongst teens has caused many problems -- both for the subject of the photos and, to a lesser extent, the distributor of these photos.
5. Educate Students, Staff and Parents: Teens may be breaking the law using their smart phones without even realizing it. While an arrest for possessing or distributing child pornography is an extreme case, it serves to illustrate that a lapse in judgment -- theoretically as easy as sharing a photo or making a social media post -- can have serious long-term consequences.

[Gibson leads the Vorys Internet defamation group]