A combination of the words "sex" and "texting," the term “sexting” refers to the act of sending sexually explicit text messages - or pictures of oneself - instantly over a mobile phone.
Sexting is a result of advances in technology enabling new forms of social interaction. Messages with sexual content have been exchanged over all forms of historical media. Newer technology allows photographs and videos, which are intrinsically more explicit and have greater impact. A social danger with sexting is that material can be very easily and widely promulgated, over which the originator has no control.