An Examination of Sexting Laws Nationally

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

Texting has become the primary form of communication by teens and young adults. Since its mainstream introduction, today’s youth can send pictures, videos, and even FaceTime their peers via cell phone. Over the course of its rise, texting has opened the door to further revolutions in communication; with the most problematic advancement in communication being “sexting.” Sexting, or the creation, distribution and exchange of sexually suggestive or nude material, has been on an upward trend and is becoming more prevalent in the younger age groups. Because of the novelty of this issue, there has not been uniformity in addressing sexting, and little is known about the variation in sexting laws and their impacts. This study involves a content analysis used to examine state legislation to determine whether or not there are variations among sexting laws nationally.

Author

• Tiffaney Tomlinson, Florida State University