Sunday Highlight: Sexting and Your Teen
Ohio law does not currently contain a specific statute isolating “sexting” as a distinct minor offense. Instead, the legal definition of sexting involves the creation, possession, or dissemination of sexually explicit images. When minors are involved, these actions trigger statutes originally designed to combat child pornography and the exploitation of minors. Legal Scope: This encompasses any digital transmission of nude or semi-nude images, including text messages (SMS/MMS), social media platforms (Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok), and cloud-based storage. Minor vs. Adult Distinction: Ohio law distinguishes between the age of the offender and the age of the victim. However, in peer-to-peer teen sexting, both parties are minors. This creates a legal paradox where a teenager can be charged with producing or possessing child pornography even if the image is of themselves or a […]
