Parents of teenagers have enough to worry about when it comes to their children’s safety. This anxiety may increase ten-fold when their child starts driving. But with all the statistics detailing how young drivers are at risk of being in accidents, there is a growing concern with how young people use smartphones to communicate.
Indeed, sexting has been a problem since the proliferation of cameras on cell phones. But as more kids find it acceptable to send pictures of themselves to entice the opposite sex, they may not realize that they may be breaking state and federal child pornography laws.
For the uninitiated, sexting involves the sending of nude or risqué pictures as well as sexual videos via text message. With the growth of social media apps such as Tinder and SnapChat, young people can broadcast nude pictures as well.
The embarrassment or shock of having intimate moments broadcast to large groups should be enough. But the possibility of having to face criminal charges should be enough to convince teens to refrain from sexting. Despite the possible criminal penalties, many teens feel like they won’t be caught and held accountable.
With that, it is critically important for parents to talk about the dangers of sexting. A criminal conviction can have a long-lasting and adverse effect on you as a young person. You could be declared ineligible for scholarships, you may be required to register as a sex offender, and you could face jail time.
As such, if you are charged with a crime due to sexting, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney.