Commentary on Sexting

[SeverinR]

Commentary: Is 'sexting' child pornography?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/08/galanos.sexting/index.html

Kids are sending suggestive messages, and naked pictures of themselves to another kid.
IMO Sexting, sending a message of sexual nature to a person within reasonable age of the sender, is not an adult(18) is not a crime. Free speech. Immoral, yes. Should they be doing it, no.
But a felony? or even misdemenor? no.

Transmitting a graphic pic of a person underage, should be a crime(and is). But it should not ruin the childs life. It is kids acting like adults. Not sexual deviants. It should be a misdemenor for the first count and if repeated take it to a felony.
Education is the key. I doubt most kids realize it is a crime. "Its their body, and they choose to send it..." but they don't understand who it harms. Education is the problem.

 

[destiny]

Well...there's a lot of educated perverts, child molesters, pornographers, murderers, thieves... you name it, so good luck in educating the youth on cell-phone porn.
Jesus is the only answer for a salt-less depraved society but that ain't happening either.. not at a broad level.

 

[Armor of God]

Kids are sending suggestive messages, and naked pictures of themselves to another kid.
IMO Sexting, sending a message of sexual nature to a person within reasonable age of the sender, is not an adult(18) is not a crime. Free speech. Immoral, yes. Should they be doing it, no.
But a felony? or even misdemenor? no.

So there should be no legal consequences to child pornography as long as the originator is a child? Are you serious?

Children need to learn there can be serious consequences to their bad behavior. They should not be coddled because it's just reinforcing bad behavior and teaching them since they are only kids, they get a free pass.

If a 15 year old boy is sending sexually explicit pictures of himself to my 12 year old daughter you can be sure I will get the authorities involved. Should he go to jail for 30 years? No, but he should be charged and given his due process just like any other 15 year old who commits a felony by distributing child pornography. Prosecute some of these kids and raise awareness so families get the message, loud and clear, that this is a serious crime and teach their kids some responsibility.

 

[SeverinR]

Kids are sending suggestive messages, and naked pictures of themselves to another kid.
IMO Sexting, sending a message of sexual nature to a person within reasonable age of the sender, is not an adult(18) is not a crime. Free speech. Immoral, yes. Should they be doing it, no.
But a felony? or even misdemenor? no.

So there should be no legal consequences to child pornography as long as the originator is a child? Are you serious?

Children need to learn there can be serious consequences to their bad behavior. They should not be coddled because it's just reinforcing bad behavior and teaching them since they are only kids, they get a free pass.

If a 15 year old boy is sending sexually explicit pictures of himself to my 12 year old daughter you can be sure I will get the authorities involved. Should he go to jail for 30 years? No, but he should be charged and given his due process just like any other 15 year old who commits a felony by distributing child pornography. Prosecute some of these kids and raise awareness so families get the message, loud and clear, that this is a serious crime and teach their kids some responsibility.

As I said, sending naked pictures should be prosecuted. highest class of misdemenor. 2nd offense felony.
But take your example, but turn it around. Your daughter sends a picture of herself. Should she be charged with a felony? Most of the cases talked about in this commentary was female sending to male.(granted, most of the girls said their boyfriends had pressured them.)
Make an example of children by ruining their lives? Equality means there is no difference in the criminal being male or female.
I fully support the prosecution of these crimes, but these are not the crime that child porn laws were meant to protect. The voluntary sending of illegal material(being a picture of their own body) to someone they want to share it with is not the same as the slimey monster getting their thrills from forcing kids to take off their clothes and pose for them.
It is a crime, just not an equivalent.