With New Jersey’s new law on “sexting” set to take effect in another two weeks, school officials gave students the chance to learn how the law will protect them rather than punish them.
A meeting on the law took place Monday night at the Gloucester County College Instructional Center in Deptford, N.J.
Investigators are discussing the new state law on sexting, a popular trend that includes sending naked or semi-nude photos from your cell phone to someone else’s. Under the law, teenagers will be provided an educational program rather than criminal punishment for a first time offense.
“As inappropriate and as much as I don’t want to think about my daughter sending pictures at any point in her life, I think it’s ridiculous to charge an underage teenager with any type of pornography charges just because they were sending a picture to their boyfriend,” said Aimee Welter of Mantua.
“This presentation is especially relevant in light of last Friday’s conviction of a Rutgers student for misusing technology for abusive treatment, which is one of the potential results of sexting,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton.
Dalton is referring to Friday’s guilty verdict of Dharun Ravi in the suicide death of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, who was viewed by Ravi on webcam during an encounter with another man.
Monday’s meeting also featured discussion on the misuse of technology and social media where invasion of privacy and cyber bullying could lead to serious punishment.
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The new law will take effect on April 1.
