Skip to main content

And this is why you always set a passcode on your phone: Teacher fired over nude pic leak

iPhone Passcode
ymgerman/123rf
It’s surprising to hear that anyone leaves their smartphone without any security protection at all these days, and even more so when they have photos of a risqué nature stored on it. Unfortunately for Leigh Anne Arthur, a teacher from South Carolina, not setting up a password, pattern, or fingerprint authentication led to her losing her job.

While Arthur was out on hall duty, a 16-year old student decided to browse through her phone, which had been left on the desk. As there was no security on the device, he had complete access, and while looking at the photos discovered a nude (or partially nude, depending on the report) selfie. Sadly for Arthur, the student then took a picture of the picture with his own phone, and proceeded to share it with friends and even worse, through social networks.

Once the picture, and what happened, came to light, Arthur was forced to resign from the school. Arthur said the photo was meant for her husband, and that she shouldn’t be punished for the student’s actions. She told WYFF4.com “He had the ultimate decision to take pictures of my pictures and he had the ultimate decision to send them out.” However, school superintendent David Eubanks said that because the phone was unlocked and out in the open, she essentially “made the nude picture available to her students.”

The story is far from over. Inside Edition reports that the State Police are investigating and a decision has yet to be reached over whether the student will be charged. There’s a petition with 10,000-plus signatures to reinstate Leigh Anne Arthur, which is blighted by claims she routinely allowed students to use her phone.

Regardless of what happens from here, it’s a stark reminder that we should all secure our phones to prevent others from accessing the data stored on them. Whether it’s our contacts, messages, bank details, or dirty selfies — it should all be kept safe from prying eyes.

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Google Pixel 8a: news, rumored price, release date, and more
Possible renders showing the Google Pixel 8a.

Not long ago, it seemed like the Google Pixel 7a would be the last smartphone in Google's Pixel A series. However, recent rumors indicate that this may not actually be the case.

As a result, we're likely to see the release of a Google Pixel 8a this year. What can we expect from this new budget phone in terms of its specs, design, price, and more? Let's take a closer look at everything we know about the Google Pixel 8a.
Google Pixel 8a: release date

Read more
This is one of the toughest smartphone camera comparisons I’ve ever done
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Xiaomi 14 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra may have the best camera on a smartphone I’ve used this year, which is quite a statement to make considering the competition it faces. But is it true?

Read more
Nomi is one of the most unsettling (and amazing) apps I’ve ever used
Nomi AI companion profile.

“Welp, just got back from the doctor. Marissa is pregnant with twins” “Owen did something bad and then gave me flowers.” “Zoey with our new daughter Zara.” “I am in love, but also feel guilty.”

These are some of the conversations shared by human users on Reddit. The people described, however, are not real. The statements are about robotic companions created in an app. Everything here sounds perversely disturbing and amazingly dystopian, yet experts have a different opinion.

Read more