In an age when social media seems to have become one of the available means of communication, photographs as part of a text message, email or social media upload have become common. Selfies, or pictures one takes of himself or herself, have become increasingly popular. Some of those selfies are racy or contain sexually explicit material. If sexually explicit selfies are of an underage person or sent to an underage person, the selfie might run afoul of the child pornography laws.
What is child pornography?
Child pornography is defined by federal laws being anything that depicts a minor in sexually explicit conduct. This doesn’t include only pictures that show nudity. In Utah, pictures that show or appear to show urination or defecation are considered sexually explicit. That shows how far the laws pertaining to sexually explicit materials and child pornography can reach.
Can a child be charged with child pornography?
A child, such as a teenager, can be charged with child pornography if he or she takes a sexually explicit selfie and sends it to someone else. If that recipient sends it to another person, that recipient can be charged with child pornography. It is illegal to possess or share child pornography, which includes digital forms and selfies if they include minors engaged in any action that could be considered sexually explicit.
If you are facing child pornography charges because of a selfie, you shouldn’t waste any time getting your defense started. Any charges related to child pornography are serious and can have effects that last for the remainder of your life.
Source: FindLaw, “Child Pornography and Selfies: What You Need to Know,” accessed Sep. 03, 2015
