By Jacqui Cheng
Illinois is moving forward with legislation that would educate (and punish) teenagers who forward around nude images of their peers, but not treat them as sex offenders. The bill, which has moved to Governor Pat Quinn's desk for signature, aims to take a more modern and realistic approach to teens making stupid decisions, though the door is still open for harsher punishments if needed.
Under the Illinois proposal, teens who send racy images to just each other would not be punished—only those who decide to widely distribute those images (usually as part of an attempt to blackmail or embarrass the sender). Those found guilty of sending the texts would be subject to juvenile court supervision, but wouldn't get labeled a sex offender for possessing an image of a minor, as would be appropriate under current Illinois law.
Illinois isn't the only state looking to change up its punishments for teens caught in a sexting mess. Last month, we covered legislation from Connecticut, Florida, and several other states that are considering new legislation that would treat kids more like kids. Sexting is "stupid behavior that young people will regret for years to come, but it shouldn't be treated as child pornography," Florida state senator Dave Aronberg said at the time.
Illinois officials are hoping that the new approach cuts down on teens' sexting behavior through education. Chicago-based senator Ira Silverstein told the Chicago Tribune, however, that harsher steps might be necessary if the behavior continues.
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