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Self-Portraits of Teens Spur Kid-Porn Charge

Nude photos shared by phone could make senders sex offenders

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 16, 2009 11:20 AM CST

(Newser) – Pennsylvania teens are in trouble over child-porn photos—of themselves. Three girls who took the pictures, and three boys who got them via cell phone, have been charged, Pittsburgh’s WPXI-TV reports. A student was caught with one of the phones in school in October, prompting a police investigation. But the charges violate the spirit of state child-pornography laws, says an attorney.

Police were hoping to make a point about the danger of such photo-sharing, MSNBC adds. “That cell phone can be put on the Internet where everyone in the world can get access,” said an officer. While the kids may not serve prison terms if convicted, they might have to register as sex offenders for a decade, the lawyer notes.

The charges violate the spirit of the law, says an attorney.
The charges violate the spirit of the law, says an attorney.   (Shutterstock)
Three boys, who received the photos, and three girls who sent them have been charged.
Three boys, who received the photos, and three girls who sent them have been charged.   (Shutterstock)
Teens in Pennsylvania have been charged with child pornography after texting nude photos of themselves.
Teens in Pennsylvania have been charged with child pornography after texting nude photos of themselves.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
Guest
May 16, 2009 7:44 AM CDT
wow... how is "getting it on" ANY better or safer than sending a few naked pics? Anyway, are these girls really supposed to be charged for child porn when the victims were.... themselves?
riffran
Jan 21, 2009 6:42 AM CST
good pointan 18 year old has sex with a 16 year old...boom you arte now a sex offender...an 18 year old has sex with a 20 year old....nothing....both only two years apart....some of the laws are "draconian" to put it mildly..and some of the laws are too trivial......to put two teenagers roughly two or three years apart bumping conscentual no no's on par with an adult engaged in pre-teen pedophilia, or as I call it molestation...is ridiculous....But exactly where do you draw the line/////
Guest
Jan 18, 2009 9:02 PM CST
That's really the problem with our country's sex offender laws, there is no standard across states, and there usually no differentiation between offenses. I am sure these kids deserve to have the living restrictions and registration requirements - and to make it worse - they're all CHILD SEX OFFENDERS!

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