Gone are the days when the “kids will be kids” philosophy enabled children caught doing things illegal, stupid or reckless to be turned over to parents for discipline. The advent of the Internet and mobile phones has made it even more challenging for parents to really know what is going on in their children’s lives.
While some states have passed bills to make it a misdemeanor for sexting between minors, in the state of California, texting nude and/or sexually explicit photos of minors between minors remains a felony child pornography offense.
This means if your child is caught in possession, receipt or transmitting such photos, they could be prosecuted as a felony sex offender and eventually be required to register as a sexual predator.
The folks in law enforcement this examiner has spoken with in the Sacramento area over the years appreciate that the law has not caught up with the technology, and for the most part there is an effort to avoid throwing the book at first time offenders.
At the same time there is a general concern that most parents are clueless about what their children are doing with the cyber-powered technology provided to youth.
“We all have to work together on this,” said Detective Steven Emert of the Twin Rivers Police Department, “Communication [with children] is the biggest missing piece.”
For more information about cyber limits and the law and guidance for parents on cyber citizenship visit A Parents’ Guide to Cyber Citizenship, a Banana Moments Resource.
Parent Resources
- Banana Moments
- Discounted subscription to Banana Moments raises money for your school
- Twin Rivers Police
(Ref: 410-e)
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