I know you've seen the reports and heard the stories about teens sexting up a storm. The act of sharing naked or half naked pictures of themselves or others via picture mail on their cell. Apparently this is a huge issue, and one that carries a penalty under the law if carried out. Teens are being charged with possession of child pornography, are being convicted, and are having to register as sex offenders. All behind taking the private semi public. So far, it seems like the uproar is based on the respectability argument when it comes to girls and a sort of "protection from the real sex offenders" standpoint. Although it is true that pictures can always end up in the wrong hands, and often do (friends of the boyfriend/girlfriend) after bad breakups between the young minded, to be labeled as a sex offender because you send or receive a picture from your boyfriend/girlfriend is a bit harsh in my opinion. Especially when we have people who rape, molest, and murder who also wear that label.

I am torn on how I feel about the whole thing. I mean, I do think that there should be some kind of regulation of adolescent bodies in the virtual world, but its a little hard to regulate something that is always one step ahead of the game. How can you really ensure that your teen's body will not be shared with or without consent? If the option of picture mail is obsolete, there are still places like Myspace and Facebook where they can still be shared. Parents may take away cell phones and request that their child remove themselves from social media sites, but I asure you, new accounts will be opened right up under your nose, thus, bodies will be shared whether we want them to be or not. So then, is criminalizing the practice really the answer? I guess the problem is where technology, society and the law meet. There is always one just outside of the other. In this situation, it is the law that is outside of morality. I'm extremely torn on any possibilities. If we were talking about cyber bullying, I would think that it should be criminalized, but even that does not carry a label that will hinder one's growth as a person. To be labeled a sex offender is kind of like afixing a Defective sticker to a person. I'm just not sure that a teen should be punished in this way for this type of... offense.

What do you think?