[shazamataz]

I just saw a report on the news about 'Sexting' where young teenagers are sending each other explicit messages and photos through text messages.
I searched this site and found that there is no much info about it...

There is a young man in America that was caught sexting his girlfriend and has now been named as a registered sex offender.

Another one that was mentioned was a girl sent a nude picture to her then boyfriend. When they broke up he posted the photo all around their school, not long after this she committed suicide.

What do you guys think about it?
Is everyone ever-reacting or do think the title 'sex offender' is warranted?
How far is too far with sexting?
What age is too young to be sexting?

[mudweiser]

Sexting is okay if you're an adult. Although teens do do it and it'll be another one of those "teen things" my only advice to them is if your going to do it make sure it's:

A- not in school; getting caught will only cause embrassement, it may ruin your reputation if it gets around, and you'll get a big talking from your parents!
B- you are in a monogamous relationship
C- both you and your partner respect and love each other
D- NEVER do it to get a guy's attention.

Sexual pictures are like sex videos: once in the wrong hands it'll be everywhere.

Sexting: CBS news

Sarah

[twinkiedooter]

They had an article in this month's Reader's Digest about this same topic. It seems that a lot of kids with cell phones that take photos or short videos are now being used to send obscene photos or videos as supposed "pranks" or to make a boyfriend or girlfriend see just how "hot" the sender is. I knew sooner or later the photo cell phones would be used in this way in the wrong hands. Kids should not be given a photo taking cell phone in the first place but try and tell their parents or the kid that! Oh, they just want the latest gadget that their friends have not realizing that an "innocent" photo of them taken by a cell phone and sent to another kid could end up all over their school or even on the internet. To keep your kids safe(er) I would definitely take away the picture cell phones in a heartbeat and replace them with regular cell phones with texting only qualities.

[shazamataz]

Very good points, both of you.

I'm still surprised that young kids even have cell phones. I didn't get one until I was 16 and it was only used to call my parents if I needed a lift or was out and they wanted me to give them an update on where I was.

Anyone under legal age should only have phones capable of texting in my opinion. It's becoming a pretty big craze which is quite concerning.

[earl237]

I don't think that children under 16 should have picture cellphones, they are just not responsible for it. As for charging teens for sexting, I think that it should be decided on a case by case basis, it may be too harsh in some cases but necessary in others.

[ScottGem]

There was a recent case of a 14 yr old in NJ who sent an erotic photo to a friend and later found it was making the rounds of school. The school started warning students and parents that possession of the photo could result in child porn charges.

[excon]

There is a young man in America that was caught sexting his girlfriend and has now been named as a registered sex offender.

Hello shaz:

If this is about young people discovering the joys of cyber sex... boring...

But, if it's about a child being MIS-labeled as a sex offender, then I'm all over it...

I'm not a believer in the "sex offender" registry anyway. I don't believe it protects a soul. I do believe that prevents an offender from EVER having a normal life.

IF the offender, offended so badly that he SHOULDN'T have a normal life, then give him a sentence that reflects what he did, and keep him in jail.

But, to let him out, with NO chance of success, is stupid. Besides, most sex offenders aren't your neighbors - they're your cousins.

I cannot imagine what sex crime is committed when "sexting" is happening.

excon

[spitvenom]

It is not like this is new except now it is on cell phone and much easier to spread to everyone. When I was in High school I had a naked picture (Polaroids) of almost every girl I dated. They had naked pictures of me. I never showed them to anyone but my pictures were shown to a lot of people.

[shazamataz]

That was pretty much my line of thought excon.

Naming them is also dangerous and can provoke 'manhunts'. If some 16 year old kid was named on the list then somebody could just find their name and come after them without even knowing the details of why they were named on there.
I personally don't know any sex offenders so this is just opinion but wouldn't a longer jail sentence make them realise the evil of their ways? Or is it once a sex offender always a sex offender?

True spitevenom, I have also done this in the past but the times they are a changin'
People who have sex or are involved in trading pictures are getting younger and younger and they just don't have the maturity to deal with it. If their girlfriend breaks up with them they show the photos to embarrass them without stopping to think about the emotional damage.

[shazamataz]

Hello shaz:

I cannot imagine what sex crime is committed when "sexting" is happening.

excon

From memory it was because the girl in the photos was underage.