7 replies to this topic

[Darth Biscuit]

http://www.cnn.com/2...ting/index.html

Pretty good commentary on this subject... I've been concerned about this for some time. DA's around the country are charging teenagers with child pornography for 'sexting' pictures of themselves to their boyfriends and girlfriends.

I think there should be consequences for this kind of thing, but felony charges and assignments as "sex offenders" for kids being stupid? Come on...

A great illustration of why change is needed now is the story of Phillip Alpert, of Orlando, Florida. He didn't ask, but his girlfriend sexted him naked pictures of herself, according to the Orlando Sentinel. When they broke up, he mass e-mailed the photos to get back at her. Alpert, 18, was convicted of transmission of child porn and he will carry the label of "sex offender" until he is 43. He lost friends, was kicked out of school, he can't even move in with his dad because his dad lives near a school.

Should Phillip be punished? Yes. Should the six teens in Pennsylvania face consequences? Yes. But let's kick them off cheerleading squads and sports teams. Make them do community service and take classes on sex crimes. Educate other teens on the dangers of sexting. Pay a price, yes, but these young people shouldn't pay for this for the rest of their lives.

[Carolina Husker]

I'd be in jail for life if they tried this crap when I was in high school.

[natty]

Touchy subject. I think in general a lot of 'sex offenders' are being painted with a very broad brush and this is a good example. I think, almost by definition, that it's impossible for a teenager to be a sex offender(with exceptions of course).

[Darth Biscuit]

I mean if a 17 year old boy is coercing a 13 year old girl to send him pictures so he can distribute them, that's completely different than a 13 year old girl sending her 14 or 15 year old boyfriend pictures of herself for him... it's stupid and the kids shouldn't be doing it, but that's just it, they're kids and they do stupid stuff...

Even a boy sending out pics of his ex-girlfriend to "get back" at her is NOT the same as what the child pornography laws were written to protect against. There should be a punishment for this kind of thing, but not felonies and having them listed for years as a "sex offender."

[natty]

They need to realize that whatever their intentions were for sending out the pics that it cant be undone and those can eventually end up in the hands of real pervs.

[Darth Biscuit]

They need to realize that whatever their intentions were for sending out the pics that it cant be undone and those can eventually end up in the hands of real pervs.

I agree, but telling most kids to think about the consequences of their actions is pissing in the wind... they just don't think about things like that... I didn't when I was that age. It's a wonder me and some of my friends lived to be 18 some of the stupid crap that we did. It's like Husker said too, if this tech was available when I was 15, I'm sure I would have been partaking of it too...

This is something parents need to be dealing with, not the courts...

[Fireball77]

This is something parents need to be dealing with, not the courts...

I agree. The problem is that fewer parents are interested in actually raising their kids these days.
Whether the parents or the kids are paying for a cell, and the child is 13-17 the parents need to monitor it. Big time. Put restrictions on it from the cell provider that they aren't allowed to do attachments. If the phone is deemed necessary for security/safety purposes, the child does not need any of that extra stuff or internet access. Or at least tell the kids they WILL monitor it and at least do cursory checks now and then.

[SmootsDaddy89]

It's not like teenagers are going to stop doing it regardless of what kind of consequences come with getting caught.