news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/ne..._8181000/8181443.stm

Sexting is where teenage girls, several years past the onset of puberty, choose to send sexy images of themselves to their boyfriends via mobile phone.

Apparently, the police and Britain's noble child protection charities believe this places our nation's little ones in extreme danger. Sexting is a far greater form of bullying than happy slapping or, in fact, the hundreds of videos on YouTube showing children as young as 8 or 9 being viciously bullied by other kids or young high school girls ripping each others hair out in brutal 'bitch fights', cheered on by an adoring ferral mob of classmates. (there are actually hundreds of American websites devoted to showing such child abuse, of course the FBI and our own child protection charites haven't the slightest interest in any form of 'non-sexual' abuse of teenagers.

If it is two 17-year-olds and they are in a consensual relationship, the police will probably not prosecute

How reassuring. The police will probably not be locking up 17 year old girls and putting them on the sex offenders register for sending their boyfriends a picture of themselves in a thong, but such kind heartedness will be at their discretion. After all, we don't want anything to limit the power of the police.

there is the beginning of a turn back in some US states about these laws-mainly because these kids risk becoming lifelong registered 'sex offenders'

In fact some states have overturned these so-called registers as they come under the 'cruel and unusual punishment' section of the Constitution but as fast as they are overturned unscrupulos populist politicians bring in the law again.

Bizarrely with these case of 'sexting' the children involved become 'victim' and 'pornographer' at the same time which shows how wacky the laws have become.

When you start prosecuting children for doing what comes naturally-society is in bad way.

Of course the age old argument is rolled out that these kids will regret their actions in the future..but will they?what proof is offered ?.It's only opinion.

Just look at pic of yourself at 15/16/17 and you probably won't recognise you as you are today. But constantly tell kids they should be ashamed and they'll believe it.

this isn't just something girls are doing, boys are at it too.

It was called "doctors and nurses" years ago - and was part of growing up.

Today the Police want to get their hands on the photos because most of them are the REAL PERVERTS and this gives them the excuse.

I have come to the conclusion the the POLICE in the UK want to get involved in the sex lives of teenagers in order to get their own "JOLLIES" out of the situation.

What people send to each other privately on a mobile phone is surely private between them ? The Police should not be getting involved. If some kids think this is a good idea then only education will persuade them that flashing their bits at a camera is actually not a good idea unless you want to have a bad reputation.

Sex was invented thousands of years ago. Get over it !!!!

The danger with Sexting, as it is called, is that girls may send pictures of themselves to their boyfriends for their personal pleasure. Sometimes when the relationship breaks up the boy sends the pictures to his mates and posts it on the internet.

This is then used as a form of bullying and humiliation. If you think that this form of bullying is ok, then I'm sorry for you.

The statement from the police that they will 'probably' not charge two 17 year olds for 'sexting' also makes it absolutely clear that the age of consent in the UK for all practical purposes is now 18. A 25 year old recieving a sexy pic or even message from his 17 y.o. gf no doubt would be charged with recieving child porn (although technically still legal for him to have sex with her).

Yes Veritas, it's good to see some of these nutty ill thought out laws being challenged in the courts. In fact while I was in the South of France I read online about the whole concept of the sex offender's register being successfully challenged on the basis of the EU's fundamental human right to a private life. The draconian definition of possession of child pornorgaphy that ZanuLabor and the UN have introduced could similarly be challenged. If you criminilize millions of otherwise law abiding men then surely that is at odds with the right to a private life.

The bottom line is it's en easy arrest/conviction for the police,they love looking tough on sex crimes,even if they have to invent them.

I agree completely..and teenage boys and girls being what they are are capable of being extremely cruel to each other and of bullying.

There should indeed be penalties for breach of privacy or bullying behaviour and harassment.

It's the constant attempts to turn kids into sex criminals that really gets me. Sanity is needed. And I just get disgusted that it becomes tabloid fodder.