West Virginia Lawmakers Ban Sexting By Minors

Associated Press

Updated Fri, Apr 12, 2013 2:18 pm

The West Virginia legislature has banned sexting by minors.

The bill passed unanimously by the Senate Friday defines sexting as any digital possession or transmission of sexually explicit images of a minor.

It states that when a minor does it, it is equal to an adult felony level offense.

For a first sexting offense the punishment would include a diversionary education program.

The bill says that the internet's permanence and huge potential audience give sexting unforeseen consequences and make it more serious than it would have been in a pre-digital age. It also references bullying and cyberbullying in explaining the gravity of sexting offenses.