Prosecutors around the country are charging teens with felony offenses and child pornography due to what is now called "sexting." Sexting among teens is the distribution of nude or semi-nude images of a minor child over a cell phone via text message.
January 2009, Greensberg, PA - Three high-school girls ages 14 and 15 sent semi-nude photos to their boyfriends ranging in ages 15 to 17 by cell phone. The high school learned of the photos several months prior to the impending charges of child pornography in juvenile court. One of the girls had her cell phone on during school which violated the school district's electronic device policy. When the phone was taken away, the photos were discovered. The school district issued a statement stating this was a violation of their electronic device policy. Read Full Story...
Controversy - Child pornography as a charge for sexting has provoked debate among teens and adults. Law enforcement wants it to stop; they want kids to think first before doing this type of act. There is a very real threat of adding "sex offender" to a juvenile's confidential record. These are very serious charges. Parents need to understand and teach their kids the consequences for sexting are severe, and there is a good possibility of having the label "sex offender" added to their record.
Keeping children safe in their own backyards and in front of computers is a diligent and ongoing task for parents. Now, two organizations dedicated to child safety have joined forces to increase awareness of the danger posed by sexual predators, online stalking, harassment and bullying. Both organizations are instrumental in facilitating tougher laws to deter sexual predators.
Denise Pellow, founder of KidsBeSafeOnline LLC, and Derek VanLuchene, President of RyanUnited.org, bring personal experience, research, common sense and technology to address the issues of child safety. Both organizations are involved in legislative and educational efforts to increase the awareness of predatory activities that endanger young people worldwide.
VanLuchene, of Helena, Montana, experienced personal tragedy in 1987, when Ryan, his then eight-year-old brother was kidnapped by a repeat sex offender while playing in his backyard. The boy was sexually assaulted and murdered by the offender who had been released from prison just weeks before, and had served time for a past sexual assault against a 13-year-old boy. Read Full Release
What Does the Technical Task Force, Xbox and Puerto Rico Have in Common?
Written by Denise Pellow
Friday, 06 February 2009 00:00
The technologies most popular among kids are social networking sites, text messaging, chat rooms, instant messaging and online video games. Below are two stories that demonstrate kids can be at risk no matter what type of technology they may be using.
Feb 3, 2009 - A 27-year-old, Richmond Heights, Missouri man meets a 15-year-old girl in California on Xbox LIVE and travel's to girl's home state. Edward Stout has been charged at the federal level with coercion of a minor over the Internet and traveling across state lines to engage in sex with a minor. The state has charged him with lewd conduct with a juvenile and oral copulation with a person younger than 16. It appears from the news reports the relationship between Stout and the minor child had been ensuing since March of 2008, via the Internet and a cell phone which was a birthday gift from Stout. Read full story
Feb 4, 2009 - 16-year-old Jasmine, from Pittsfield Township, Michigan, was found safe just outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She left her home to join a 26-year-old man from New Jersey who she met in a live chat on her Xbox computer game. This minor girl had been missing for three days and local and federal authorities were involved in the investigation. Evidence indicated she had been lured out of the country based on her missing computer hard drive and damaged Xbox. Read full story
Task Force Conclusions
Task Force research determined concerns in two areas: "minors dealing with unwanted contact and content online," (sexual predation and the availability of harmful or illegal content). We look at the two cases above and even though the Task Force concluded that according to their data, there was no influx of cases verses online and offline. It was clearly stated sexual predation is still evident whether it happens because of a family member, affiliated family members or strangers online (Webcast dated Feb 3, 2009). Read more...
When I attended Harvard Law School's Technical Task Force meeting last September 2008, I was so excited that the world was coming together to help protect help our kids online. In attendance were multitudes of technology companies willing be partners to protect our kids online. Others included people deeply involved in the community; businesses that were willing to help solve this problem in any way they could; parents, educators and non-profits all together in a room to talk about the safety of our kids online. People came from all over the United States to offer their concerns and findings.
Forty-Nine Attorneys General asked the The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School to form a committee n/k/a the "Internet Safety Technical Task Force" headed up by John Palfrey. This year-long committee studied all the data available, talked to experts and released their findings on how to protect our kids online. Despite the media stating this problem is not as big as once thought, could be construed unfounded if you ask the mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers and everyone who care about all the kids no longer with us because of the internet being the tool for better access to our kids. Read more...
According to a statement by the Press Secretary on October 13, 2008 President George W. Bush signed into law two acts. One entitled: "Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2008," and the other "Protect Our Children Act of 2008." Read the full text "Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2008."
Here is an excerpt from the S. 431: S. 431: Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2008 ________________________________________ (2) OF 'INTERNET IDENTIFIERS'- As used in this Act, the term 'Internet identifiers' means electronic mail addresses and other designations used for self-identification or routing in Internet communication or posting.
Because of this law registered sex offenders are required to provide "internet identifiers," such as e-mail addresses and other designations used for self-identification to the Sex Offender Registries.
According to the statement by Press Secretary dated October 13, 2008, the next Bill S.1738 entitled: "Protect Our Children Act of 2008" requires the Department of Justice to create and implement a national strategy for prevention of child exploitation. Read more at S. 1738
