Noir
10-02-2011, 07:27 PM
CNN) -- Before Saturday, a Florida teenager who sent or received nude photos or video could have been charged with a felony and forced to register as a sex offender.But a new law, recognizing the proliferation of cell phones and computers, eases the penalties for "sexting" infractions.
A first offense is punishable by eight hours of community service or a $60 fine; the second is a misdemeanor and the third is a felony.
"(This bill) modernizes these laws to ensure that children's lives are not ruined due to youthful indiscretion. This reform will let our youth know that such behavior is wrong without labeling them sex offenders for the rest of their lives."
Under House Bill 75, teens who receive explicit images won't be charged if they took reasonable steps to report it, did not solicit the image and did not send it to someone.
A recent Associated Press/MTV poll of Internet behavior found one of three teen and young adult respondents said they've taken part in "sexting," which includes sending sexually charged texts.
"There's probably a lot of kids who don't realize how this (sexting) could impact their life," Karl Bergstrom of Fort Myers told CNN affiliate WINK.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/01/us/florida-sexting/
Anyone else think that there are better things to be worrying about than if two 15 year olds are sending each other 'racy' texts? But at the very least at least the law doesn't consider 1/3 of floridas' teenagers to be criminals and sex offenders at the first sight of a sext.
(also i know the title of the topic doesn't quite make sense but its too early for me to think of something else.)
A first offense is punishable by eight hours of community service or a $60 fine; the second is a misdemeanor and the third is a felony.
"(This bill) modernizes these laws to ensure that children's lives are not ruined due to youthful indiscretion. This reform will let our youth know that such behavior is wrong without labeling them sex offenders for the rest of their lives."
Under House Bill 75, teens who receive explicit images won't be charged if they took reasonable steps to report it, did not solicit the image and did not send it to someone.
A recent Associated Press/MTV poll of Internet behavior found one of three teen and young adult respondents said they've taken part in "sexting," which includes sending sexually charged texts.
"There's probably a lot of kids who don't realize how this (sexting) could impact their life," Karl Bergstrom of Fort Myers told CNN affiliate WINK.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/01/us/florida-sexting/
Anyone else think that there are better things to be worrying about than if two 15 year olds are sending each other 'racy' texts? But at the very least at least the law doesn't consider 1/3 of floridas' teenagers to be criminals and sex offenders at the first sight of a sext.
(also i know the title of the topic doesn't quite make sense but its too early for me to think of something else.)