MD- "Sexting" And The Fight To Protect Teens

11-9-2008 Maryland:

POTOMAC, Md (WUSA) - No longer do teens communicate by talking. As one 13-year-old puts it: "It's like all about texting."

But the phone typing craze that has captured a nation, adolescents included, has some teenagers venturing into illegal territory without even knowing it. Many young people are starting to send each other nude photos via their cell phones. If you ask teens about, it's clear that not everyone does it but most teens know someone who does.

"There's some girls that send out pictures of themselves and it ends up going around to hundreds of people, like all different schools," said Blake Keats, a 13-year-old Montgomery County resident. "They get in trouble with their parents and they get a bad reputation."

The trend is known in popular culture as "sexting" and its grown so serious that Verizon is funding a new Web-based program to educate youth about its dangers.

Web Wise Kids, a non-profit designed to offer children challenging and interactive simulations online that model real life situations is partnering with the Potomac-based WILL Interactive. WILL uses patented technology to produce "choose your own adventure" type movies about serious issues. Screenwriters, producers and a team of video experts write and direct a play using real actors. Teens can choose which path they want to take when those actors encounter ethical dilemmas.

"We also provide opportunities for people to say, 'Woops, I made a bad decision, maybe I should talk to my favorite teacher or a parent or someone who can help me out of this before it gets worst,'" said Sharon Sloane, CEO and President of Will Interactive.

More and more police departments across the country are starting to invest more resources in investigating "sexting" because it's illegal to possess, distribute or manufacture pornography involving anyone under the age of 18.

"You can pretty much pick any principal at any middle school anywhere and they will tell you its an issue," said Chris Stezin, a screenwriter for WILL Interactive.

The new video will be released online in early 2009. It will include other ethical issues related to cell phone use and teens, such as cyberbullying and cheating on tests via texting. ..News Source.. by Brittany Morehouse