Survey: Young flirt via text, Internet

CHICAGO, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A Chicago-based research firm said its survey suggests about 20 percent of young U.S. adults have sent suggestive photos online or by cell phone.

Teenage Research Unlimited -- which conducted the online survey of 1,280 teens and young adults from Sept. 25 to Oct. 3 on commission from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy the Hearst Digital Media site CosmoGirl.com -- found 20 percent of those between the ages of 20 and 26 sent naked or semi-naked pictures with e-mail or their cell phones to be "fun or flirtatious," USA Today reported Wednesday.

The survey also found 39 percent of teens surveyed and 59 percent in the 20-26 age group have sent suggestive text messages as a mode of flirtation.

A majority of 73 percent of total respondents said they understand that sending sexually explicit or suggestive materials over digital media "can have serious negative consequences" while 22 percent said they consider it to be "no big deal."