Sexting Pics Live Forever, Teens Warned

Team with ACLU, sue DA over teens' felony child-porn cases

(NEWSER) - A Pennsylvania district attorney is trying to snuff out “sexting” by threatening felony child-pornography charges for teens who have taken, appeared in, or sent naughty pictures, the Wall Street Journal reports. But while many capitulated, the parents of three others have teamed with the ACLU to sue George Skumanick instead, saying he’s violated freedom-of-expression laws. More»

Bill moving through legislature to legalize sexually explicit teen communications

(NEWSER) - Vermont’s state government is in an awkward position. Current law has the state prosecuting teens who send sexually explicit pictures of themselves to each other—sexting—as sex offenders. The state Senate has passed a bill to exempt an exchange of images between people between 13 and 18 years old from classification as child pornography, reports the Burlington Free Press, and the state House will take up the bill this week. More»

'Internet cowboys and cowgirls' twist results of online surveys

(NEWSER) - One in five teenagers have shared naughty pictures of themselves over the phone or online—at least according to reports of the “sexting epidemic” that’s been causing hysteria lately. But the figure might be bogus, the Wall Street Journal reports, because it’s based on a voluntary online survey. “These kinds of samples select Internet cowboys and cowgirls,” said a researcher. More»

14-year-old may have to register as sex offender

(NEWSER) - A 14-year-old New Jersey girl has been charged with possessing and distributing child porn for posting nude photos of herself on her MySpace web pages, reports WPIX-TV. If convicted, the girl may have to register as a sex offender. The case highlights increasing problems with children posting or texting racy images of themselves. "This is a wake-up call for parents," said an official. "The girl posted the photos because she wanted her boyfriend to see them." More»

(NEWSER) - The recent—or recently discovered—“sexting” epidemic has produced a reasoned response from educators, and a wild overreaction from police,” Dahlia Lithwick writes on Slate. “Schools are enacting what amounts to a don't-ask-don't-tell policy” on teenagers sending out naked pictures of themselves, and others, she writes. But cops are hauling in high-schoolers on child pornography charges. “Cyber-humiliation shouldn't be grounds for a very real and possibly lifelong criminal record.” More»