What is sexting and is it a crime?

We hear a lot about sexting these days. Sexting, of course, is using a person’s cell phone, whether it’s text messaging or it may be Snapchat or something like that, to send sexual images or sexual conversations. Now of course between adults that’s consenting behavior and that’s not illegal as long as both parties are consenting.

However, where sexting is most prevalent among teenagers it is highly illegal. Even if both individuals are teenagers, you cannot send sexual images of a person under 18. If you engage in conversation with a person of a sexual nature that is under 18, that is likely to be solicitation of a minor to engage in sexual activity.

Both of them are highly illegal, but what most teenagers and parents don’t understand is that it’s illegal even if they’re both minors. So if a 17 year old boy is sexting with his 17 year old girlfriend, he is risking criminal charges and he is risking being placed on the sex offender registry.