A Fish out of Water

Sexting: Cell Phone Controversy

 

  An emerging fad among teen cell phone users is quickly getting the attention of authorities. It has called for the ban of cell phone use in some schools because of the serious ramifications that sexting poses.

 

Sexting is a growing issue and according to a nationwide survey, at least 20% of teens admit to participating in it.  It is illegal and most do not realize that when caught one can be faced with felony charges and serious prison time.

 

Several teens in the United States have been charged and although their identities are protected under juvenile law, they are facing criminal charges because they have been caught sending and receiving nude photos of other teens via their cell phones.

 

Many people have become outraged because they feel that the authority's stand point on such an issue is outrageous and over the top. But they fail to see the seriousness of such an issue.

 

The practice of sexting is a form of pornography and parents need to be aware of what their children are doing with their free time.

 

  The U.S. National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, stated that 24 %  of 2,100 child pornography victims it has dealt with, have participated in sexting and have sent pictures themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 
   In Canada, it is not considered a crime for two consenting teens who are both under the age of 18, to possess or produce nude pictures of one another for strictly personal useage. However, should those pictures be distributed on a wider scale, then such actions would be considered criminal under child pornography laws and the persons involved in distrution could be charged.

  Canadian school officials have stated they would be reluctant to report sexting as a crime to police.

"I think it would have to be very extreme for us to want to be looking for charges to be laid against a student," said Jan Sippel, the Vancouver School Board's abuse prevention co-ordinator. (Star Pheonix)

In all likely hood, if a student was caught with compromising photos of another student, a school liaison officer, or school councilor would talk to the students involved to educate them about the legal ramifacation of such an issue.

  Sexting poses a problem for the innocent. It can be used in ways to seek revenge and bully the innocent. Once a photo finds its way onto the internet, there is no way to track or even sensor such a photo. Such a photo could haunt someone for a lifetime especially when it falls into the wrong hands.

 

To help stop the spread of an ongoing trend, authorities’ advise that parents talk to their teens about the uses of cell phones and set up some family ground rules.

 

One such suggestion is that parents gain access to their child's phone to make sure that photos and messages in any compromising manner aren't being sent or recieved. Also discussing openly about the issues that sexting raises both moral and legal can help ensure your child's safety and help them make better choices for themselves in the future.