20 Percent of Teens Partake in 'Sexting': Should They Face Charges?
SodaHead Living
2012/06/15 18:00:00
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Whatever the latest technology is, teenagers will use it to get up to no good. But that doesn't make it any less alarming that nearly 20 percent of high school students partake in sexting, according to a new study.
Donald Strassberg, of the University of Utah, found that nearly 20 percent of high school students (18 percent of males, 17 percent of females) admitted to having sent a sexually explicit image on their cellphone. Almost twice as many said they had received a sexual image on their phone (50 percent of males, 31 percent of females), LiveScience reports.
And here's the really scary part: About 25 percent confessed that when they received a sexually explicit image, they forwarded it to others. Plus, more than 8 percent said they had sent a sexually explicit photo that they took of someone else to a third party.
And here's the really scary part: About 25 percent confessed that when they received a sexually explicit image, they forwarded it to others. Plus, more than 8 percent said they had sent a sexually explicit photo that they took of someone else to a third party.
But here's the thing, kids: You can get into big trouble for doing this. In many states, sending or receiving nude pictures of someone under 18 (including yourself) could put you at risk of facing child pornography charges. Do you think teens who sext should face charges?
Top Opinion
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No
+21It's their life if someone else sees it and it not their boyfriend or girlfriend or whoever who cares not my life.
But if you mean CRIMINAL charges - eh, NO!
If passing pornographic material between minors is illegal in some States, then those who are caught deserve the consquences of their actions.
There are a lot of laws I don't like, but I still have to obey them.
If they are doing it maliciously, in a stalking manner, or after the recipient has asked them to stop, then I think charges might be in order. Also, if they send an image of someone who asked them not to, I think charges might be in order there. But those should be private civil charges, not criminal, I think.
you want to discourage kids getting friendly with each other?
you want to discourage a 21st century mating ritual?
what are you: anti-human race?
you're going straight into the chokey for that horrible idea!
I don't text or have a cell, but I thought "sexting" was a word defining sex-related texting, text meaning font characters not images. (?)