Teenagers in America could face 15 years in prison for sexting.
This comes as the House of Representatives approved the Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act of 2017. The basic idea behind it is to protect those who are the victims of child pornography by closing 'loopholes' in the current laws. However, the way in which it is written means that the rules could affect those sending or receiving sexts.
The act sets out 'to criminalise the knowing consent of the visual depiction, or live transmission, of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct'.
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Anyone who violates the terms of the law 'shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 15 years nor more than 30 years'.
Credit: PA Images
According to Dan Savage at The Stranger: "It's not just sexting - actually sending or receiving sexts that could get your kid sent to prison for 15 years.
"Your kid could get 15 years for attempting to send or receive a sext. Let's say a 15-year-old kid - let's say your 15-year-old kid - asks their boyfriend or girlfriend to send them a dirty picture (something millions of teenagers do everyday), the BF/GF's parents see the request, they turn it over to the police. Your kid goes to prison until they're 30 years old.
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"[or be] forced to take a plea deal offered by an overzealous prosecutor: probation, community service, and having to register as a sex offender for the rest of their life, which will make it impossible for your kid to get an education, find a job, or a place to live."
The act has been a bit controversial to say the least.
According to Broadly, the whole reason behind this 'loophole tightening' proposal is in response to one particular case.
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Federal prosecutors reportedly failed to convict a man after claims came forward that he had sexually abused a seven-year-old neighbour.
Apparently, he had taken one photograph of the abuse, and it was ruled that this was 'insufficient evidence' to prove that he violated the child pornography statute.
Director of federal legislative affairs at Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Molly Gill, told Broadly: "You're talking about 18, 19, 20-year-olds, young people who are being certainly reckless, but do they need to spend 15 years in prison?
"At that young age, their brains are not even done developing yet. They have all the potential in the world ahead of them and a 15-year prison sentence is the fastest way to kill their future."
Topics: American
