Vermont Considers Legalizing Teen 'Sexting'

[Jayden]

What idiots are in charge there? Imagine the sick pervs that will be hacking into these kids phones. Bad bad idea.

 

[JOHN B]

What do you mean 'Good"!? Do you understand that 14 year olds are taking naked pics of themselves and giving them to eachother, or even putting it on the web?! It should NOT be equal (crimewise) to Child Pornography, but it should have SOME legal consequences. It's wrong!

 

[Lukeee]

Such idiots.

Of course a child shouldn't be charged with child pornography for having those pictures but they also shouldn't say it is okay for them to do it.

 

[Jayden]

Bull. Nobody is saying they should do it. What they are doing is taking the penalty off something that they are already doing.

If you had a 13 y/o child would you want them sending graphic pictures of themselves on their phones? I this its a bad idea.

 

[Alpha1851]

What do you mean 'Good"!? Do you understand that 14 year olds are taking naked pics of themselves and giving them to eachother, or even putting it on the web?! It should NOT be equal (crimewise) to Child Pornography, but it should have SOME legal consequences. It's wrong!

Really? Why do you feel that way? Shouldn't that be something that their parents are responsible for dealing w/? I don't think it's smart for kids OR adults to take naked pics of themselves and share them via phone or internet. But that's just my opinion, I wouldn't want to make it a crime. I had sex at a very young age. Most of us did. That wasn't a crime in most of our cases. Why is this different?

No matter what we do, kids are going to be horny and curious. They look at porn when they shouldn't. They have sex when they probably shouldn't. And they take pics of themselves that they'll probably regret later. Are we going to regulate everything through the govt., or we are going to let parents regulate their child's behavior?

Parents can usually decide whether to send Johnny to the doctor when he's sick if it violates their religion. Well, I'm willing to let them monitor Johnny's cell phone usage too.

 

[Jayden]

Give a teen a loophole and they will abuse it. I dont think they should be charged with a sex crime. But some kind of punishment should be enforced.

 

[Alpha1851]

Give a teen a loophole and they will abuse it. I dont think they should be charged with a sex crime. But some kind of punishment should be enforced.

Why? If your main concern is protecting the children from perverts, and I certainly don't think anyone in their right mind advocates abandoning children to the monsters in this world, then we need to create many more laws as well. Let's see... ah, ballet attire is skimpy, workout attire is skimpy, bathing suits of all sorts must go, girls need to forgo those tiny cheerleading outfits, beauty pageants for little kids need to be nixed, every single outfit (just about) that's currently made for girls under 18 needs to be taken off the market b/c the shorts are very short, so are the skirts, and the tops show too much cleavage, baseball pants have to go b/c they are too tight, children will be forbidden from ever running around outside in a diaper or in their underwear, underage actors should never again engage in any adult situations, and on and on it goes. Perverts are everywhere.

If you're trying to stop teens from engaging in sexual acts, then we should stop allowing underage kids to buy condoms and get birth control. We should stop teaching sex ed. I don't think it's possible to stop them from screwing around and I personally think sexual exploration is a healthy part of growing up.

 

[Jayden]

Why? If your main concern is protecting the children from perverts, and I certainly don't think anyone in their right mind advocates abandoning children to the monsters in this world, then we need to create many more laws as well. Let's see... ah, ballet attire is skimpy, workout attire is skimpy, bathing suits of all sorts must go, girls need to forgo those tiny cheerleading outfits, beauty pageants for little kids need to be nixed, every single outfit (just about) that's currently made for girls under 18 needs to be taken off the market b/c the shorts are very short, so are the skirts, and the tops show too much cleavage, baseball pants have to go b/c they are too tight, children will be forbidden from ever running around outside in a diaper or in their underwear, underage actors should never again engage in any adult situations, and on and on it goes. Perverts are everywhere.

If you're trying to stop teens from engaging in sexual acts, then we should stop allowing underage kids to buy condoms and get birth control. We should stop teaching sex ed. I don't think it's possible to stop them from screwing around and I personally think sexual exploration is a healthy part of growing up.

This has to do with children sending x-rated pictures of themselves via cell phones. If you had a child would you want him or her to be sending x rated pictures of themselves around. Do you think this is healthy?

 

[versatastic]

Underage teens aren't prosecuted for having consentual sex with each other, so why would they be for sending each other pics of themselves? There should be a zero tollerance policy for pedophiles who are intercepting such trannmissions.


Disallowing kids to buy condoms or get birth control is foolish since they will be having sex regardless. It's better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Alpha1851]

This has to do with children sending x-rated pictures of themselves via cell phones. If you had a child would you want him or her to be sending x rated pictures of themselves around. Do you think this is healthy?

If Jason and I were parents, we'd be responsible for taking care of our child. That includes cell phone usage. We'd teach our child about the dangers of sexting/myspace and all that jazz. We'd also monitor (and I think that's the real key here) the kids phone usage. If Alpha Jr. were to be so foolish as to disobey our rules, Jr. would be punished accordingly and the cell phone privileges would disappear forever since Jr. clearly couldn't handle the responsibility. If we had kids, it would be our responsibility as parents to protect our child, to nurture our child, to inform/educate our child, and to discipline our child. I don't think Jr. needs to take a trip to juvie.

I think it's equally as stupid for an adult to send x-rated pictures of themselves via cell phone or over the internet. You don't really know who's hands it'll end up in. Or when it will turn up to haunt you years down the road. Folks can be vindictive.

 

[Jayden]

How is this different from some dorky 17yearold flashing younger kids at the park?

What if the recipient never wanted/asked to be flashed?

One nude picture of a 12 y/o send via cell phone could be floating around the net for years and years. Thats the difference.

 

[gmoney]

The problem is that these 'sexting' activities take place, then the said individuals break up and the resentful one decides to forward them to all their friends and so forth.

Having it as a crime between two consenting individuals is absurd, but how are you gonna control what happens when they are no longer a couple and want to hurt the other one?

I've seen reports on the news where at least one was so distraught over the spread of her "private" pictures that she committed suicide.

I'm not sure what the solution is, but being punished as sex offenders is not the answer!

 

[Alpha1851]

One nude picture of a 12 y/o send via cell phone could be floating around the net for years and years. Thats the difference.

So you're willing to give the kid a criminal record? A trip to juvie? What? Why don't we just make it illegal for under age folks to own a cell phone. Wouldn't that be easier than forcing the govt. to monitor phone usage? What if the teen takes the pic w/ a polaroid camera? Or w/a digital camera? They all have the same possible outcomes of the pics being around for years.

 

[Jayden]

So you're willing to give the kid a criminal record? A trip to juvie? What? Why don't we just make it illegal for under age folks to own a cell phone. Wouldn't that be easier than forcing the govt. to monitor phone usage? What if the teen takes the pic w/ a polaroid camera? Or w/a digital camera? They all have the same possible outcomes of the pics being around for years.

What would you suggest. A stern talking to or standing in the corner? Parents in this country also need to held accountable for the actions of their children. Would you want a picture of your son or daughter naked floating around the net for years? I dont think a criminal record is the answer 'as I said in the thread' But something needs to be put in place to prevent a slew of x-rated pictures of children floating around.

 

[versatastic]

Maybe its a typo but an 18yo isnt underage. Like I said up thread, an 18yo sending nudes to a 13yo isnt right and should be unlawful.

18 is many times considered the cusp for laws concerning teens, so sometimes people at that age are lumped in with the rest of the adolescent kids, i.e. in California an 18yo won't be prosecuted for having sex with someone who's as yong as late 14 or15, but might be if the latter was 13 or younger at the time. It was in that sense that I referred to 18 year olds as underrage.

 

[versatastic]

Oh, I understand that, and I’m just as concerned.

That aside, the article says “consensual” exchange between minors—as though, all of a sudden, kids are mature/responsible enough to make such choices. That’s ridiculous.

Consensual in the sense that one party isn't being raped or coerced.

Many adults can be pretty immature and irresponsible themselves. Kids should deal with the consequences just as well as adults.

 

[LatinoSTAR]

well, i dont really think 14 year olds sendng other 14 year olds nude pics of themselves shoulb be illegal, hey, at least theyre not out actually having sex and getting pregnant..

let the kids have a little fun...

when i was underage, i sent other ppl my age nude pics of myself, if it's consensual i dont see one problem with it..hey, theyre gonna do it regardless if there is a law or not..

besides, i think most kids dont send there actual nudes to someone, they prolly send fakes. thats what i did lol..i didnt want myself out there like that..

 

[Alpha1851]

What would you suggest. A stern talking to or standing in the corner? Parents in this country also need to held accountable for the actions of their children. Would you want a picture of your son or daughter naked floating around the net for years? I dont think a criminal record is the answer 'as I said in the thread' But something needs to be put in place to prevent a slew of x-rated pictures of children floating around.

Generally, parents are not held accountable for crimes committed by their children. You don't lock the Dad up b/c Alpha Jr. committed theft by taking. This sexting "thing" should be no different.

Or, are you asking what Jas and I would do if we really did have an Alpha Jr.? Well, we aren't parents and will never be parents, so it's sort of hard to imagine. I guess we would give Jr. a cell phone at a very young age, but it wouldn't have pic/text/internet capabilities or anything else fancy. I don't think kids need all that but I do like the idea of Jr. having a cell for safety purposes. We wouldn't allow Jr. to have a myspace account or facebook account and we wouldn't give Jr. her own computer. We'd also move the desktop computer into the living room.

Of course, no preventive measure is full proof, so we'd also educate our child about the dangers involved and possible repercussions that can come from sexting. We're both attys, we have plenty of real life stories to tell Jr. I'm certain we could get our point across. I'd also like to think that we'd be open and honest about sex and relationships, so that Jr. would feel comfortable coming to us if she had issues or questions. I think communication is key. We'd also be involved in Jr.'s life.

Wow, Jr. sounds like a lot of work. Thank goodness that's not my real life. We'd have to hire a Nanny or Jas would have to become a house husband.

 

[versatastic]

Hmmm, don't juvenile records get sealed once you turn 18 or 21?, unless of course you commit a crime afterwards? If that's the case, then sexting probably shouldn't be legalized. The idiot kids should stand before a judge and get a stern talking to and maybe some juvie time as well as a fine. Then again, the judge's words will go in one ear and out the other. The fine will stick, though.

 

[Alpha1851]

Hmmm, don't juvenile records get sealed once you turn 18 or 21?, unless of course you commit a crime afterwards? If that's the case, then sexting probably shouldn't be legalized. The idiot kids should stand before a judge and get a stern talking to and maybe some juvie time as well as a fine. Then again, the judge's words will go in one ear and out the other. The fine will stick, though.

Fair enough. But, why should we finance that? Why should we back up the juvie dockets w/ sexting, while we allow kids to do all sorts of other stupid, harmful things? How will their probation be managed? And they'll have to miss school in order to go to crt. This usually amounts to several absences if the kid is put on probation.

How do you propose to deal w/ the violation of privacy issues? The govt. will have to monitor each and every underage kid's cell phone. Actually, since most phones are registered in the adult's name, the govt. will have to monitor all our phones in order to ensure the law is carried out.