Should teens be prosecuted for sexting?

Not so much for sending pornographic texts to each other, but for sending nude images of themselves out. This crosses into the category of child porn, do you think the law should punish or reprimand an underage teen who send x-rated photos of themselves via their phone?

Hell no. Depending on the age, this should be handled by the parents. Unless they're actually harassing someone or sending pics of someone else, the law needs to stay out of it.

I think that it should be against the law, punishable by a fine, because it is child porn technically. If an 18 year old could get in trouble for having it on the phone, the sender should not get away with having generated the photo in the first place.

Prosecuted? I don't know. Reprimanded? Definitely.

Child porn is child porn....doesn't matter who it gets sent to.

It's a stupid mistake but it's more permanent than if it was done in previous generations with film cameras. But the norm of child porn is adults putting them in that position with them not knowing what's going on or not being able to put an end to it, these teenagers are doing it of their own volition and until they're caught anyway, seem to be enjoying it, which doesn't make it right but I don't know if it ought to be a law because how many kids are going to be branded for life because of the stupid mistake?

Definitely reprimanded. Although if it involves sending a nude pic of another teen, I definitely say prosecution isn't totally out of the question. (ie what Jack did to Shane on OLTL was totally worthy of prosecution.)

Reprimand.

Not prosecuted for it, too harsh I think. But I wouldn't have a problem with them being barred from having a cellphone for a while and maybe having to pay a fine.

Shale wrote:The whole concept of an "innocent" child corrupting him/her self is medieval, like the inquisition - it goes beyond logic.

If it is "child pornography" generated by that very child - then how can one prosecute that child as an adult.

A child can be prosecuted for stealing a car the same way an adult can. How is this much different? It doesn't matter if the maker and distributor of child porn is the underage star himself. Illegal is illegal. A 15 year old doesn't get to star in their own smut show.

If pictures are involved then yes.

Not prosecuted, no. Punished? Yes. Fines and/or community service. Once they turn 18, they can take nude photos all they want, until then, they need to keep their clothes on in front of a camera. Hell, if I were a parent, my kid would never even see a cell phone again. I'd point to the gas station down the street: "Use the pay phone."

One things is whether something is legal or not. The question is whether it should be or not. I believe that the law should be that once you hit the adult age you cannot sext to minors. I do not believe minors should be prosecutes for things like this. Granted, if they send a sext to an adult they could be warned not so do so. If they keep doing it maybe their parents need to be obliged to get involved, maybe the teen could get sent to a juvenile place so he/she understand that consequences of breaking a law, not so much for the sexting itself.

I believe minors, specially teens are at a stage of their live where they do experiment so if they do so between themselves as minors, let them. Sexual curiosity is there and I do not see wrong with that. But to have them their criminal background labeled as pedophiles sexual deviants in some file can gravely affect them for the rest of their lives.

However, harassment is another story. If a teen sends a nude picture to another teen without request and still keeps doing it disregarding requests to stop I see not problem with parent and authority involvement. If after that the teen keeps doing so then prosecute them for breaking a law.

You have a great day.
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femme fatale wrote:

Shale wrote:The whole concept of an "innocent" child corrupting him/her self is medieval, like the inquisition - it goes beyond logic.

If it is "child pornography" generated by that very child - then how can one prosecute that child as an adult.

A child can be prosecuted for stealing a car the same way an adult can. How is this much different?

Stealing a car is a crime against someone else's property. A kid taking pics of him/her self naked and sending it to peers is a victimless crime not warranting the penalties of "child pornography" which are quite severe.

femme fatale wrote: ...Illegal is illegal. ....

Yeah, this attitude was very popular in Medieval cultures where a hungry man stealing food for his family was sent to the gallows/chopping block same as the murderers. Somehow it went out of favor in the enlightenment since then.