Online Dangers: Sexting

Though the internet and smartphones have become essential tools utilized daily, many dangers lurk on the web that could put you and your family at risk. One issue that continues to rise as of recent years, is "sexting" between teenagers.

"From what I've been told is 80% of students from middle school to high school age are sexting," said Todd Wilton, a Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent.

It's a staggering statistic many parents cannot bring themselves to believe. But unfortunately, sexting is happening more than you think between teens, even in Upper Michigan. And sometimes those nude or inappropriate pictures sent between U.P. teens, are even ending up on the other side of the world.

"Once those pictures get out there, they go viral, and unfortunately with those pictures, when they go viral, they usually end up going global," said Wilton. "It's unfortunate, but we'll have kids at our schools in the U.P., and their pictures will pop up on a potential predator's computer in other countries. That's not uncommon."

From the east side to the west, sexting scandals have broken out at numerous U.P. school districts. Recently, Marquette County administrators at multiple schools dealt with at first a small investigation, but it quickly ballooned into a huge one involving hundreds of high schoolers. However, the Marquette County Prosecuting Attorney ultimately decided none of the teens involved would be charged.

"When we saw the extent of it, we realized that number one: we didn't have the resources, and number two: this was really teenage behavior, high school aged behavior, that was not under what you would have considered "manufactured," "possession," or "distribution" of Child Sexually Abusive Material (CSAM)," said Matt Wiese, the Marquette County Prosecuting Attorney.

However, that doesn't mean charges could never be filed. If sexting does fall under CSAM, those charged, which could include the teen who took the picture of his or herself, would face felony charges, several years in prison, and even having to register as a sex offender.

Experts say the best way to make sure your child isn't caught up in a sexting scandal, is as simple as being aware of what they're doing online.

"The majority of times kids are doing stuff that they shouldn't be doing is at night when the parents are sleeping," said Wilton. "That's the perfect time for parents to take the phone, go through it, look at the apps, look at the chats, and if they see an app they don't understand, Google it."

"As parents if we're responsible for knowing where our kids go when they're leaving home, then I think we're also responsible for knowing where they're going when they're on the internet," said Wiese.

Sexting is far from the only online activity that could land you or your child with a trip to the courthouse. Tune in to your TV6 Early News at 6/5ct on Tuesday May 2nd for part two of TV6's "Online Dangers" series, where we'll dig deeper into cyber bullying, and talk with those who have been affected by it.