Thursday, April 9, 2009

Sexting?? Say What?



Texting, this day and age is a very familiar part of every teens vocabulary. They may not know what is going on in the world or what the derivative of a function is, but they know about texting. As the younger and emerging generation, we have had a mainstream change in communication. Rather than allocating our efforts to communicate via voice to voice, we have chosen text to text. Many people have began to use texting as a channel to communicate because of the capability to do it in an environment that would limit traditional voice to voice communication via telephone. These such environments would include places like school, the workplace, and restaurants.

This rapid increase in the use of texting for communication has caused an increase in the technology for it. Texts can zoom across the airways in seconds without much delay, much like instant messaging on the computer. They have also paved the way for digital communication with things such as movies, pictures and even voice recordings. Many teens send pics back and forth to their friends of things such as a goofy face, to a beautiful landscape in the Caribbean. However, there is a much darker side to texting than one would normally think of. The very appropriate term sexting has become a very popular things among many teens. Sexting is the transmission of nude pictures via texting. Sending between couples or maybe friends that are closer than friends, may not seem like a problem. However, younger generations are finding out that it is much for than a picture. If anyone in the picture is underage, it is the transmission and possession of child pornography.

Many teens have found out the hard way that this can land them a spot right on the sexual offenders list, next to Chester the Molester. “But is was only a picture of my girlfriend...” Many teens are shocked by the consequences dealt out by judges all over the US. The sexting crackdown is coming down hard. If you are underage, and take a nude picture, your significant other, or anyone really takes the picture, it is considered child pornography. The person who took the picture as well as anyone that receives it could be in danger of being prosecuted if discovered.

With having the freedom of privacy, many do go undiscovered. It is when the brain of a teenager breaks down from logic and acts on impulse, do many of these crimes come to the attention of officials. Many times the couple has an argument, and one of the hot headed partners sends the picture to his or her friends. Then, once received by others, it comes to the attention of authorities. The accused is brought up on sending child pornography as well as possessing it. These types of cases are tried in many states as child-pornography. Thus, landing them a spot on the sexual offenders list where their time on that list can vary.

Most teens, unaware of the consequences participate in this activity, thinking its like seeing them naked in person. Many are oblivious to the true definition behind their nude pictures they posses. The truth is, anyone photographed in the nude underage is considered child pornography. Even if the one partner is 18 and the other is 16, this close age gap doesn’t seem like a lot, but in terms of the law it is.

6 comments:

  1. This is so weird!

    I guess I don’t understand this concept. I guess sending pictures of yourself is a way to practice safe sex! That is until you get caught and are busted for possessing and distributing underage pornography.

    In addition, how many times has someone looked through the pictures on your phone?

    Yea, sixteen is the age of consent… but I don’t think that the age of consent applies to sexting. It is a good thing that judges are cracking down on this. These are just a few of my thoughts on the topic… good blog.

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  2. I have heard on the news about a huge story of middle schoolers passing pictures like this around. It happened at one school and the pictures were taken at some party and then spread around all over the school. They were getting a lot of people in trouble for it too. When I first heard this story I didn't know where I stood on the topic. On one side, it is your business what you have on your phone whether you were sent it or you took the pictures yourself. On the other hand, I don't see the point in sending pictures like that. I liked this blog because it is on a current issue that is relevant to people in our age group.

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  3. I know there was something about the guy from high school musical and his girlfriend doing this although I never found out exactly what the penalty was. And sense I haven't really watched the news lately, I don't really know much about this. I didn't know it was an issue, but you seem well educated on this problem that has come up. I think it is somehting that a boyfriend or girlfriend would do to hurt the other, although it is very low.

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  4. I dont really get why someone would send pictures of themself naked. I dont even like having normal pictures of me on facebook and things like that because people can photoshop things and make it legitimate. When someone finds a naked picture of someone on the net i bet it pretty much ruins that persons credibility(unless your a porn star)

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  5. So, I had heard about this before. My sister student teaches, and she came home one day and was talking about how she overheard a couple of fifth and sixth graders talking about how they had done this the day before. How old are you in the fifth and sixth grade? Like, eleven? It's really crazy. You never know where those photos are going to end up or who is going to end up having them.

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  6. I had never heard that term used before but it is so true that it is completely inappropriate. If you can't be with your significant other I think it would mean a lot more for you to tell them that voice to voice over the phone rather than text them a scandalous picture. I don't know, maybe that's just me. It's really crazy how things like this are being exposed to people younger and younger all the time and its disturbing to think what will come next.

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