Recent reports on cell-phone “sexting” activities by young people suggest that parents and young people are ignorant of the fact that taking a sexually-suggestive or semi-nude or nude picture of oneself and sending it via cell phone to friends amounts to the creation, possession and distribution of child pornography.
Learners as young as 12 years are reportedly exchanging salacious pictures and messages through their cell phones. Young people may think “sexting” is fun but the consequences can be quite serious.
When teenager Phillip Alpert’s 16-year-old girlfriend broke off their relationship, Phillip decided to get back at her by “sexting” nude photos that she had previously “sexted” him to her parents, grandparents, teachers and other teenagers via e-mails. Phillip Alpert was charged with distributing child pornography. He was convicted, sentenced to 5 years probation and was registered as a sex-offender, a label he has to “wear” until he turns 43 years. He lost his friends because “they just don’t want to be friends with a sex-offender kid”, he explained. And he was kicked out of Valencia Community College because he is a registered sex-offender.
This is a major problem in our society today and you need to be informed. Inform yourself.
Sexting – danger to children