COLUMBUS, Ohio — Local authorities say more and more teens are sending inappropriate text messages. Some may not realize those texts can be illegal.
It’s hard to find a teen who isn’t glued to their phones. The Licking County Prosecutor’s office visited students in Granville to make sure they know what may seem like fun on their phone could land them in court.
“I would imagine everybody in here either has received a nude image of a classmate or knows someone who has or been asked to send or receive one. I’m not naïve to that fact, I know that most of you have been involved in some fashion or know someone who has,” Licking County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Tom McCarty said to the students.
In a talk with Granville middle school students, McCarty explained while students may think what they are doing is innocent enough, there are serious consequences.
“This includes images of yourself. Any selfies you take, even if you don’t send them to someone, if you have them on your phone or tablet or computer or gaming system or whatever, that is actually a crime. You are in possession of child pornography,” he explained to the middle schoolers.
He said his office deals with teen sexting cases every day and it’s a growing problem.
“I certainly hope that everyone understands that consequences after the presentation. I try to give some pretty explicit examples of cases that I have worked personally,” McCarty said.
His advice to parents, even if you want to give your child privacy, you need to know what is on their phone.
“These phones can be dangerous and they need to know what apps they have, who they are communicating with, what friends they have on the apps. Not just on the phones, I’m seeing it more with gaming systems,” he said.
