Be careful what and who you sext

Communicating via texts and other electronic means is common these days. What many people might not realize is that they may have to be careful with what they message, not only because of the possibility of messages being shared or leaked but also because of legal issues that might arise in some cases.

One thing that matters is the content of the messages. The age of the participants of the texts and the subject of any photos also matter. It is illegal to share sexually explicit photos of anyone who is a minor. This is even true if the sender and recipient are both minors. You can face child pornography for sexting if part of that involves images that are crude or suggestive and contain minors — even your own photo.

When two adults are sexting each other, there isn’t a criminal element as long as both of them want the exchanges. If either person doesn’t want it, then it can become a criminal matter. Because there aren’t many laws specifically addressing sexting, people can face charges under laws for other things, such as harassment.

For a person who is charged with something related to sexting, finding out what defense options they have is a priority. There’s a chance that they could be facing some serious consequences, so they must be sure to carefully consider what each option could mean for them.

Remember, if there is a minor involved in the matter, the penalties and charges can be much harsher than a case involving only adults. That factor must be a primary consideration when they’re trying to determine what to do about their case.