The new impact of nudie shots in the Internet age

Sometimes, when girls and boys fall in love, they do stupid things while in the nude. Like, for instance, he might tell her he loves her after three weeks. Or perhaps she’ll let him take nakey pictures of her “just for when you’re not around.” It’s not uncommon; sample 100 girls across ASU, and you might be surprised to find out how many girls have given some guy a Kodak moment that needs to be laminated for easy cleaning.

Now, some people might say that there is no good to come from this — that guys only want to show their friends. But if you honestly assess your photographer, it’s not hard to differentiate between a guy who will keep your secret and a guy who can’t wait to post your nudies.

That being said, the recent news about 18-year-old Vanessa Hudgens isn’t entirely surprising. In fact, considering that the average age of first intercourse is getting younger and younger, she was fortunate that these photos didn’t surface before she turned 18; then she’d have a whole other boatload of naked trouble.

She’s a pretty young lady and, if the rumors are true, she’s dating her bubble gum co-star Zac Efron. They are probably in love, which makes a dramatic difference in one’s decision making abilities. Now, that’s not to say that one isn’t responsible for her choices just because she’s got goo-goo eyes. But those two are young and on an incredible high from being famous and thrust into the spotlight. And they never expected to have their privacy violated, and their secrets splashed across America.

To make matters worse, she’s famous for being Disney’s sweetheart — an entity built on candy and platonic love, corny jokes and virginity. There’s much debate about her future on the Disney network: Should her actions get her canned? Should a young woman with a sex life that accidentally escaped be punished for being human?

Clearly, I think not. These are photos of just her; she wasn’t with anyone else; and she has acknowledged this and apologized. Hudgens will have this over her shoulder for the rest of her career. But the way she handled it with grace and humility deserves some credit for being mature.

— Nikki Todorow