Sexting Could be Illegal

Be Responsible or Let your Kid Ruin Their Life – Sexting is a Potential Sex Crime A recent report from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy indicates that about 20% of teens (ages 13-19) and an incredible 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) have shared nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves either using mobile phone SMS text messages or by posting online. Teen girls are slightly more likely to do this than boys and a very disturbing 11% of the young teen girls (ages 13-16) admitted to sending suggestive photos of themselves. Recent reports from The Nielsen Company and the Pew Research Center point toward several factors that should be causing concern for parents and guardians. These topics are also an opportunity for solution providers. There is a rise in the number of youths that own cellular phones, the amount of texting they do, and more troubling the number of young adults that are occupied with “sexting” – the sending of provocative images or text messages from mobile phones. Why the fuss and bother? Just innocent fun, adolescents exploring their emerging sexuality? You might want to reconsider. Sending a sexually explicit picture of someone underage is a sex crime. Young people are being arrested, convicted and having to register as sex offenders. They are gambling with more than emotional distress and humiliation, charges of sexual misconduct can result in getting suspended and expelled from school, losing scholarships, and losing jobs. A felony conviction may also affect future employment opportunities, including law enforcement and other high-security clearance positions. In other words, ruining their lives over a little “innocent” fun. There isn’t anything innocent about it. Consider that if a young teen sends a sexting image of themselves – they could be violating child pornography statues in most states. Getting convicted in felony court for “sexting” can result in other serious consequences. In addition to the potential jail sentence and/or fine imposed by the court, they may be required to register with the Sex Offender Registration Board for the next 20 years. Furthermore, the criminal court may order the surrender and destruction of the computer or digital devices used. As sending text messages from mobile phones has become a focus in teen social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly troubled about the role of cell phones in the sexual lives of young people. A recent research study from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) found that 4% of mobile phone owning teenagers ages twelve to seventeen indicate they have transmitted sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to other people via SMS text messages. This practice is commonly known as “sexting” in today’s vernacular. Furthermore, fifteen percent say they have received these kinds of images images of someone they actually know via text message. According to research from marketing research firm The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American teenagers transmit an unbelievable average of ten SMS text messages every hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and probably a lot during school too! By evaluating over than forty thousand monthly US mobile telecom bills, Nielsen found that American teens sent an average of an inconceivable 3,146 texts each month during the third quarter 2009. Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – aged nine to twelve sent an average of 1,146 texts each month. That equates to four per hour they were in school or not sleeping. To put that in perspective, the average number of monthly texts sent by all cell phone users collectively was a little more than 500. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users ages 9-12 years old increased messaging usage by eight percent and almost doubled their text message volume. Focus group findings show that sexting happens usually under one of three specific scenarios: The first, involves exchanges of images solely between two romantic partners; the next, lists exchanges between partners that are then shared outside the relationship; followed by, exchanges between people who are not yet in a relationship, but where often one party hopes to be. Teens were interviewed and gave researchers a variety of explanations surrounding the motivation to get involved with sexting. These included the researcher’s interpretation that “…sexually suggestive images had become a form of relationship currency,”; that sexting images “… are shared as a part of or instead of sexual activity,” and that SMS text message sexting is a way of establishing a relationship. Sensitive images are also passed along to friends “… for their entertainment value, as a joke, or for fun.” Teens also shared with researchers the pressure they feel to share these types of pictures. Not surprisingly the report revealed that teenagers that are intensive users of cellular phones are more likely to to be sent sexually suggestive images. For these youths, the phone has become such a common means for communication and a variety of content that turning it off is unlikely. The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teenage years mixed with constant connection via cellular phones and other mobile devices “…creates a ‘perfect storm’ for sexting,” said Pew’s Amanda Lenhart. “Teenagers have always grappled with issues around sex and relationships, but their coming-of-age mistakes and transgressions have never been so easily transmitted and archived for others to see.” Despite some indications that per user usage has peaked (they can’t possibly use them more can they?!?) Nielsen predicts that overall text messaging usage will increase as the heavy text messaging population ages and entices the older generations to text with them in order to stay in contact with them. Existing SMS users are expected to continue to use texting extensively and as tweenagers become teenagers they are in all probability going to follow the trends of texting established by current teenagers. The average number of text messages per user has increased every year, and there is room for growth. If you’ve got children then you’re probably not shocked by the usage statistics. But chances are you’re also either in denial that your children are involved in sexting, or you’re actively seeking solutions to the problem. While parents may be upset that all the texts their teens and tweens are sending are going to break the bank, Nielsen analysis indicates the average cost of a single text message is just one cent. The real issue concerning parents is not so much how often teens use their phones but has more to do with how they use their phones, and when they are texting. Sexting is a very complex issue. As a result, it is very hard to provide guidance on how best to manage these situations. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children policy states that there are four roles to every sexting case: someone seen in the image, the individual who took the photo, the distributor(s) of the photo, and the recipient(s) of the photo. In some cases one person may assume more than one of these roles (e.g., a child takes a sexually explicit picture, of herself and sends it to a friend). In other situations, multiple people may take on a single role (e.g., a child takes a sexually explicit picture of himself and sends it to a classmate who then forwards the photo to the entire high school senior class). It is important to consider the intentions and motives of each of the parties in every situation. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children advocates parents monitor cell phone use. A practical technological solution available for parents and guardians to discover what their children are doing is mobile monitoring technology. Sexting can be illegal. Parents are responsible to stop it. Especially when low cost solutions can be ordered online.