In a case of WTF, a 14-year-old New Jersey girl has been charged with possessing and distributing kiddie porn after posting explicit pictures on MySpace -- of herself.
The unnamed juvenile reportedly uploaded the racy images (and judging by what is allowed on MySpace, these must have been really racy) because she wanted her boyfriend to see them. If convicted, the girl would have to register as a sex offender and could also face up to 17 years of jail time.
Now it's true that the trend of sexting is lifting more than a few eyebrows and even having tragic consequences in some cases. And part of the predicament is that most states don't have laws specifically addressing teens who sext. But is charging this young girl with a crime really the way to stop all this teen titillation?
Click here for more.Some say such a stiff penalty will curb other kids from participating in this kind of behavior. Karen, who runs a legal advice blog, says, "I don't know if this child should be charged with child pornography because of the intent behind her actions, but I sure as [hell] do not care that she is being charged with a crime. She's the example and hopefully other kids will keep their clothes on."
But others are concerned that pressing charges would set a dangerous precedent of criminalizing kids, not the sickos who are looking at pictures of them. Another case where child-porn charges were brought against a child was recently batted down.
What Bloggers Are Saying
Tracey says the onus should fall on people who look at explicit pictures of children: "It shouldn't be illegal for [her] to do that. She has the right to expose her body if she wants to. If I happen to come across them I can choose not to look at them. If I save them to my computer then the crime is on me for possessing child porn."
Linda agrees: "The authorities need to go after the real criminals and not young kids who do stupid things ... Hopefully this is a wake-up call to those who think it's cool to send nude pictures of themselves. Common sense needs to prevail on this one."
Mari thinks the changing times and kids' constant access to technology is to blame: "To put her in the system is in no way going to help anyone. You cannot blame the parents. Even if you monitor, it could have been up only one day. These kids just don't realize how easy their lives are and they take everything for granted."
Clearly something needs to be done to keep kids safe from predators online. But there's got to be a better way -- counseling, school classes, restricted access to the Internet -- than turning them into criminals.
Tell us: What do you think the consequences, if any, should be for this girl? Have you caught your kids, relatives or other young people you know participating in this kind of behavior?
Comments:
Add a comment
Tuesday 07 April
By lee
So lets throw the boy freind in jail also. For looking at the pictures and anyone else that logged onto her myspace. Most likely all her teenage freinds. Child porn is child porn wether its from someone over 18 or under 18 looked at by someone over 18 or under 18..
Reply
Tuesday 07 April
By bfgair
I can go online and spend $19.95 to get a spy program that will allow me access to ANY cell phone in the world. I can download ANY picture or text or any telephone number that that phone has on it. I can also trace that number and do the same to that phone. PRIVECY IS A JOKE. If that young lady thinks it is a private matter then she is nowhere as smart as she thinks she is.
Many "CHILDREN" are now being charged as adults in felony cases and this also needs to be treated the same way. She was responsable enough to send them and should be responsable enough to face the piper and pay the price. PORN IS PORN AND CHILD PORN IS THE VERY WORST OF ALL.
ANY person does and can have access to ANY image sent or received on your cell phone. It's not just the goverment that can do this now so that would mean the young lady in question that is now hiding behind the fact that she is not of age is a felon and should be treated as the adult that she thinks her pictures make her.
I wouldn't be suprised to find out that her picture that she sent is not on the websites all over the world right now and allowing child porn viewers the whole and total view of her "underaged" profile.
Help get rid of this terriable ability to violate our youths privacy with the felony of PORN. Put her away and send the message to the world that "WE WILL NOT TAKE IT ANY MORE"
Reply
Tuesday 07 April
By Chris
Have you ever seen the videos of the little kid who sticks his finger in his brother's mouth and then cries to his mommy-"He bit me"? Are cigarette manufacturers at fault for causing cancer, or just those who smoke them? I agree, those who view and download porn should be punished. But those who make porn available are also a cause of the problem.
Why do people even look at porn that's out there? It is their choice (at least in the beginning), but there's no reason to make it easy for people to become addicted and do harm to themselves or others by letting porn be readily available.
And why do we think it's okay for people-- kids! to expose their bodies like that "if they want to?" What makes them WANT to? inundated with sex in every possible media perhaps?
Reply
Thursday 09 April
By alphabetiQ
How is a racy picture, no matter the age, considered porn? At worst she was nude, porn and nude have two different definitions. She'd have to be having sex with another person for the pic to actually be pornographic. Charging her for having pics of herself and the possibility of her having to register as a sex offender can't even be legal. She should be punished, but not to that extent. Maybe even counceled on the dangers on what she did, the morale, and the about the age of when she did this. I always said if I had a daughter she'd never be allowed to have internet, this is exactly why.
Reply
Thursday 09 April
By littlehawk5
Wow, just wow. Does she think that her boyfriend is the only person that is going to see this?
Ouch....
Reply
Friday 10 April
By AM
Following the authorities logic on this one: if she sent pictures of herself and that is child porn, then if the girl masturbates she is guilty of child rape. This is a case of adults wanting to punish a teen girl for being sexual.
Notice that the charges we have heard about lately are all regarding pictures of girls. I have a teen boy and his friends send pics of their genitals all the time to each other, and have even been caught at school. No one would ever put up with this sort of charges being filed.
Reply
Friday 10 April
By FC
i wouldnt go as far as to like make her go to jail and register as a sex offender for goodness sakes it was pictures of herself i could see if it was someone else and she posted them on there then i would consider that a crime but really shes just a sleezy teen which now a days who isnt ya know. she deserves a good grounding from the outside world meaning internet of course cell phones and NO BOYS!
Reply
Sunday 12 April
By Darkangel8436
That's what email is for!!!
Reply
Wednesday 24 June
By yogisuba
What is needed is a new law that does not classify children who consciously, but foolishly expose theirselves to unhealthy situations, as child porn, but something else. The stigma of having this over their heads for the rest of their life is counter-productive. Law have never stopped children from being children. A good step in this situation is not criminal prosecution, but rather, education and community service. We can say all we like about how stupid or criminal a 14 year-old is, but the real problem is not the children and their childish behavior, the real problem stems from a society that has in many regards, forces children to go through their early life without guidance. We can blame the parents, but hell, when both parents have to work just to get food on the table, things are not so easily defined. I vote for a new law, or a different approach to the way we work with children who have exposed theirselves. By definition, child pornography is defined more by the intention than the actual image - for if this was not the case, then anyone who has a picture of their naked baby in the tub would be criminal as well.
Reply
Friday 10 July
By Wolfman
ok, fine arrest her but what use would that do? logic always says for ever action there is a reaction, i disagree with this illogical case, as its HERSELF noone else, i mean i could blame it if it was some child down the road but herself come on, and anyhow if you wanted to stop it from happening fine, there is one solution i have thought of! SHUT DOWN THE INTERNET! which would do more harm than not! banks etc use internet connections! so fgs use LOGIC its not a case of the child porn as such its a case of weather or not she should have done it without being told its wrong!
Reply