A cute moniker for a widespread, toxic phenomenon, “sexting” refers to teenagers sending nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves or other youths to friends’ cell phones or posting these photos on social Web sites like MySpace and Facebook. Although young people have always behaved in risky and impulsive ways, modern technology has seriously upped the ante for doing so. Momentary recklessness can result in mammoth embarrassment and grave damage to reputation: Images virally spread on the Internet carry the potential to scuttle college admissions prospects or job opportunities years later. As if such blighting consequences did not constitute punishment enough for indiscretion, some prosecutors have hit upon the brilliant idea of criminalizing immaturity — filing “kiddie porn” charges against the youngsters involved in this type of conduct. Instead of grandstanding, often at the victims’ expense, they ought to focus on bringing to justice the grown-up perverts the legislators meant to target.
Recent juvenile defendants include a 14-year-old New Jersey girl who posted naked pictures of herself on MySpace so that her boyfriend could view them; four Alabama middle-school students who exchanged nude photographs of themselves; and a 16-year-old New York youth who forwarded a nude photo of his girlfriend to other friends. The latter faces up to seven years in prison because a Rochester prosecutor regards a teenage cad as a felon!
