Law student suggests changes to “sexting” laws

Daily Iowan: “University of Iowa third-year law student Elizabeth Ryan is trying to prevent the life-altering destruction sexting can have on the lives of teens and young adults. Ryan hopes her article . . . will bring attention to an issue she said has become more prevalent as technology continues to develop. Her article suggests that states may benefit from creating new laws against sexting instead of relying on old laws regarding obscenity or pornography, which often come with harsh punishments.”

Sexting: How the State Can Prevent a Moment of Indiscretion from Leading to a Lifetime of Unintended Consequences for Minors and Young Adult
Elizabeth M. Ryan, 96 Iowa L. Rev. 357 (2010)

Minors and young adults who engage in sexting face serious, and often unanticipated, psychological and reputational consequences. While the current state response to sexting between minors and between young adults is inappropriate, the state can intervene in several innovative ways to educate minors and young adults about the consequences of primary and secondary sexting, impose appropriate penalties on minors who engage in primary and secondary sexting, and recognize and support appropriate remedies for minors and young adults who are victims of secondary sexting.