The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
In Minnesota, a teenage girl is facing criminal charges for distribution of child pornography when she shared a racy selfie with a male friend on a popular smartphone-based social media application.
The case has caught the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota (ACLU) who are lending their support to the young girl. They believe going forward with the charges against the teen “undermines the seriousness and intent of child pornography laws,” which according to Minnesota statute exist to “protect minors from the physical and psychological damage caused by their being used in pornographic work depicting sexual conduct which involves minors.”
The 14-year-old female, who is being referred to as “Jane Doe” to protect her identity as she is a minor, was taking part in what she described as sexting. Sexting, which she believes is a common activity amongst her peers, refers to interactions of a sexual nature taking place through computer-mediated communications such as texting, and sharing pictures and videos.