KY- Sexting: Teen trend goes unnoticed by most parents, but could have serious consequences

3-23-2009 Kentucky:

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WHAS11 coverage

Sexting: Roundtable Discussion

Do parents have the right to check their kids' cell phones?

WHAS11 Poll Results: Sexting and Teens

Copy of WHAS11 Poll on Sexting

Rachel's blog on Sexting

Click here for live chat, from 5 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday!

(WHAS11) – Most people have heard of texting, but what about sexting? That’s sending, receiving or forwarding naked photos via your cell phone. WHAS11’s Rachel Platt has been talking with teens and parents about the new phenomenon.

Sexting is making headlines nationwide, from ABC News, to Inside Edition to Oprah. Everyone is talking about it. And what many teens don't seem to realize, it could land them in jail.

WHAS11 surveyed roughly 250 middle school and high school students about texting and sexting. Out of nearly 250 students surveyed, only about 30 students said they didn't text, while more than 200 said they did.

At Farnsley Middle School, Principal Rob Stevenson says consider the school a cell phone free zone. Phones that aren't turned off and in a locker during school hours find themselves confiscated and locked up, 30 days for the first offense, the rest of the school year for a second offense.

“One case a kid was videotaping in the restroom, it's alarming,” said Stevenson.

Just as alarming, a new trend called sexting, sending or receiving nude photos.

In the WHAS11 survey, 55 out of 123 girls knew what sexting was, so did 51 out of 125 boys. Even more disturbing, 17 girls said they had sent a semi nude or nude photo of themselves. 18 boys said they had.

“I guess he wanted to impress me, but I never spoke to him again,” said one student.

Authorities will tell you it's no laughing matter. In states like Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and at a high school in Virginia, teenagers face charges for sending and receiving nude pictures.

County Attorney Mike O’Connell says teens, even minors, can be charged with distributing porn, receiving it and labeled sex offenders.

Lisa Kimball is with the Child Connection. It's her job to educate local kids about the dangers of the internet, strangers, and now how kids are playing with fire with their cell phones.

“It’s a serious issue. Lives can be ruined,” says Kimball.

In Ohio, the consequences turned deadly when Jesse Logan sent a nude photo to her boyfriend. When they broke up he sent the picture to other students. Jesse then hung herself. One girl WHAS11 surveyed, said she sent a nude picture to a guy she really liked and he posted it on MySpace.

Many parents don't seem to be checking text messages or pictures, with many students saying their parents don't know how.

So, do you think parents have the right to check their kids' cell phones? Tell us what you think and vote here

We’ve posted the results of Rachel’s survey here and we also posted a copy of WHAS11 Poll on Sexting here, so you can print it and use it to begin a conversation in your house.

Also, Tuesday night, from 5 – 7 p.m., WHAS11.com is hosting a live chat on the sexting trend. Click here for live chat, from 5 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday. We'll have two child experts in the chat to answer your online questions and you can share your thoughts on sexting with others.

A representative from a national wireless phone company will also be here to talk about possible safeguards on your phone to help keep your kids safe. ..News Source.. by WHAS11.com