SEXTING

sexting The act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones.

Danger! What could go wrong?? video

“sex offender” Hard to find a place to live that is not close to a school or other prohibited place May have to leave the home if a sibling is a minor Social stigma- people assume sex offenders are rapists, pedophiles, etc Hard to find work Have to take classes, continue to register, constantly monitored http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us/

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY LAWS Michigan law criminalizes using “the internet or a computer, computer program, computer network, or computer system to communicate with any person for the purpose” of committing various crimes, • Child sexually abusive activity; including the following crimes relevant here: • Kidnapping; • Criminal sexual conduct; • Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct. and

BULLYING LAWS individuals are prohibited from posting “a message through the use of any medium of communication, including the internet or a computer, computer program, computer system, computer network, or other electronic medium of communication without the victim’s consent, if all of the following apply:”111 “The person knows or has reason to know that posting the message could cause” multiple instances of “unconsented contact” with the victim;112 “Posting the message is intended to cause conduct that would make the victim feel” frightened or harassed;113 “Conduct arising from posting the message would cause a reasonable person to suffer emotional distress and to feel” frightened or harassed;

Class activity Split into 2 groups Read scenario quietly to yourselves Talk about the questions in your group Reconvene

punishments Possible punishments: jail time probation sex offender registration fines get creative!

Scenario 1 Result: Margarite was not charged with anything. Prosecutors thought of her a victim and assumed she had already learned her lesson. Meghan and Isaiah were initially charged with disseminating child pornography, a class C felony, but the kids took a deal and were convicted of telephone harassment, a gross misdemeanor. They will have to create public service material about the hazards of sexting, attend a session with Margarite to talk about what happened and otherwise have no contact with her.

Scenario 2 Result: The girls were charged with disseminating child pornography and the boys were charged with possession of child pornography. The case is still open so no punishment has yet been decided.

Assignment Find a news story about a teenager that has gotten in trouble for sexting. Write a short summary of what happened, what the charges were, and the result of the case (if it has been resolved). Then, write your response to the case as a whole.