Sexting: It’s Only Ok If You’re Famous

Teens who send each other sexy photos via cell phone may be slapped with child pornography charges. And, because more than two people have done this, we can give it a catchy little nickname: Sexting. Booya, Vanessa Hudgens.

Two teens, 14-year-olds Ben Hunt and John Eicher, recently received pictures of a classmate’s 13-year-old girlfriend exposing a breast. When school officials found out about the picture, Hunt’s phone was seized and police were called. Now a photo of a boob they didn’t ask to see might end up sending them to jail and possibly forcing them to register as sex offenders. No baby boobie is worth that, guys. 

Says a public defender who worked on a similar case where charges of child pornography were brought against a group of sexting teens: “This is a matter between parents and kids. The kids don’t have any clue this is a criminal offense. To charge some 13-or 14-year-old with child pornography is total insanity.” They may not realize it’s a criminal offense, but surely teens have an inkling that sending nude photos of themselves is not exactly something that’s going to be thought of as terribly awesome where the law is concerned. Especially since, once you put that image out there, you have no way of knowing where it will end up.

Take the case of 18-year-old Jessie Logan, who sent a (legal!) nude photo of herself to a boy, who then sent out the photo to friends. Who sent it to their friends. Who sent it to theirs and on and on until, eventually, Jessie’s photo was being circulated around four different local schools. Kids began ostracizing her and calling her a “whore.” The teen, feeling isolated and humiliated, ended up hanging herself. Extreme, sure. But it shows that having no control over your image and reputation has real consequences. 

Cutesy names and scary stories, aside, just, like. Don’t do this? We feel bad for the teens who were slapped with a label of sex offender for receiving a photo they didn’t ask for, but the best thing they could have done is have gone straight to a teacher and been like, “Yo. There is a naked baby on my phone and I’m not having any part in this. Make it stop.”

Unless, of course, your genitalia happens to be famous. In which case, no. You don’t have to face any consequences at all.

Watch this video and BE EVER VIGILANT against the dangers of sexting, MyDebasing, FaceSitBooking, or Twittering:

For Pictures Of “Sexted” Celebrities, Click Below [SFWish]

The Dangers of “Sexting” [People, print]