“Sexting” (H 7778, S 2635)

Surveys indicate that 20% of teenagers have engaged in “sexting,” the practice of sending nude or semi-nude photos of oneself via cell phones or similar technology. The response: a bill from the Attorney General to drag these teens into Family Court and turn them into status offenders. Though the ACLU agrees that teens should be counseled against this practice, it should not be criminalized. The AG claimed the bill was designed to protect minors from child pornography charges, but the ACLU responded that the solution was to make clear that that law did not apply to this sort of conduct, not to turn it into a separate crime. Committee members seemed sympathetic to the ACLU’s arguments. Read our testimony.