Week 3 Analysis "SEXTING"

My analysis this week is on ‘sexting”. At first I thought this was going to be the same as phone sex but done through texting. I was wrong. Sexting is similar to phone sex but has more to it like sending nude pictures. Dr. Sari Locker defines sexting as the use of a cell phones texting ability to send and receive text messages that are of a sexual nature. She also says that it could be as simple as sending nude photos back and forth (2008).

The biggest impact that sexting has had is on our teenagers. This is a very popular thing to do. A story done by CBS’s Harry Smith reported that 20% of teens are sexting (2009). A lot of the news and talk about this new trend among teens is the fact that it is illegal to send the photos if the person in the picture is under age. As a matter of fact there are cases being brought against teens for sending nude or partially nude photos. The law that is being used is the child pornography law (Stone, 2009).


CBS Video
Right here in Ohio in Cuyahoga County, there are eight teens ages 14 to 17 in trouble for sending and trading nude photos of themselves. According to Koch, Juvenile Court Judge Thomas O'Malley is struggling with what to do with teens. It is possible that a girl who sent a nude photo to an ex-boyfriend could be convicted and then would be labeled a registered sex offender for 20 years. Lawmakers are debating penalties. Utah has taken note and lessens their penalties from a felony to a misdemeanor (2009). Let’s hope other states follow suit. Other than that teens will be charged and found guilty and serve mandatory sentences and upon release from prison they will be labeled sex offenders (Tillotson, 2009). This is scary
Another news article I read said that technology is to blame and that parents need to be just as technological savvy as their teen. They need to keep track of what their teens are doing with their phones just as they would with their computers and cars (Koch, 2009). When a survey was conducted with teens about sexting they were asked if they new it was illegal to send these types of photos and 31 out of 225 said yes (Koch, 2009). This is scary because the ramifications for doing are so great. We need to inform are teens as well as protect them.

References

Koch, W. (2009). Sexting. USA TODAY. Retrieved on September 5, 2009. From website: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2009-03-11-sexting_N.htm

Locker, S., DR. (2008). Sexting Definition. Retrieved on September 5, 2009. From website: http://sarilocker.com/blog/2008/12/06/sexting-definition/

Smith, H. (2009). Dangers of Teen ‘Sex-ting. CBS News. Retrieved on September 5, 2009. From website: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4723169n&tag=related;photovideo Dangers Of Teen 'Sex-ting'

Stone, G. (2009).'Sexting' Teens Can Go Too Far. Sending Provocative Images Over Cell Phones Is All the Rage, but It Can Go All Wrong. Retrieved on September 5, 2009. From Website: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/WorldNews/story?id=6456834&page=1

Tillotson, K. (2009, April 24). Teens and 'Sexting' -- risky pictures: To prevent sexting, adults first need to accept the role that technology plays in adolescents' lives. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), Retrieved September 5, 2009, from Newspaper Source database.