Can Lawmakers Redefine the Crime of Texting?

Body|Beauty|Sexy When teens get caught sexting and one is under 18, they can be prosecuted for distributing child pornography, ending up on a sex offenders registry for life. These charges are a felony. In a cyber culture that trades naughty pics not only on cellphones but MySpace and Facebook, is sexting so serious a crime that kids are penalized in careers and where they can live — for life?

The Ad Council has launched a series of Public Service Announcements promoting the slogan “Think before you post.” One depicts a teenage girl who keeps getting creepy comments from people who seem to know intimate things about her. The football coach compliments her on her new tattoo. The ticket collector at the movie theater asks what color underwear she’s wearing today. Then we hear a voice saying “anything you post online, anyone can see.” via Wall Street Journal

While parents and concerned parties ask kids to ‘think first’, lawmakers are tackling the topic of the actual nature of the crime between consenting kids and the proper punishment. Read on Rethinking Sex Offender Laws for Youths Showing Off Online via NYTimes