Exchanging selfies is a normal part of relationships and dating these days. While it’s very common, it’s something that needs to be done carefully. This is even true for teens who are just starting to date.
Child pornography laws are far reaching. They can affect people who never thought that they’d be facing charges of this nature. Not all child pornography charges involve knowingly downloading illicit pictures of underage children.
What type of selfies are considered child pornography?
Any selfies that depict an underage party in a sexual manner are classified as child pornography. It doesn’t matter if you knew the person was underage or not. This is why it’s so important to ensure that you’re talking to someone who’s of legal age.
Some people don’t realize that even teens who are exchanging pictures with other teens can face child pornography charges for those images if they’re sexually explicit. Possession of child pornography doesn’t only involve images directly sent or received. It can also apply to social media posts.
The laws surrounding child pornography change often, so staying abreast of them is often difficult. Because of this, it’s best to simply avoid sending or receiving those types of images unless you know that the person is over 18 years old. Young couples that include a person over 18 and one under 18 can end up in serious legal trouble.
Facing charges for child pornography is a serious matter. It’s critically important that anyone who’s facing this type of charge understands what defense options they have. It’s wise to seek legal guidance as early in the process as possible.