'Sexting' episodes prompt W. Wash. Internet safety campaign
SEATTLE (AP) - It was a parent's - or a principal's - nightmare: Two underage students in Des Moines agreed to have sex at a party while others recorded it with their cell phones.
The video spread quickly among the kids at Mount Rainier High School last year, and in addition to the potential harm to the couple involved, the episode became a distraction in the classroom - and prompted considerations about whether those who took and shared the video might face child pornography charges.
The incident is the type Seattle's top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan, is hoping to prevent with a new back-to-school Internet safety campaign. Durkan has asked public and private elementary and middle schools throughout Western Washington to send home a letter from her with each student, accompanied by tips for parents and children about how to keep them out of trouble, whether the danger is online predators, bullying or unwisely shared cell phone pictures.
"We've seen an increase in all types of cyber crime," Durkan said in a recent interview. "The hope is to really put a focus on education and prevention. We'd rather do that than some of the heartbreaking cases we do."
The tips for kids include a series of warnings: Don't post personal information online. Don't send inappropriate photos or messages by email or text. Don't write online posts making it clear no one is at your home. Do remember that people can lie online; someone who says they're a 12-year-old girl could really be an older man.
For parents, they include guidelines for dealing with a child's use of technology: Set limits for how much time your children can spend online, and know whom they're communicating with. Make sure you have all of your child's passwords, and review their emails and messages periodically. Keep the computer in a shared space, rather than in your child's bedroom.
Bethan Cantrell, a Bellevue mother of two school-aged children, is an Internet safety advocate who has given seminars on the topic to parent-teacher groups. She said the tips include a lot of common sense, and some of the most important advice for parents is simply to talk to their children rationally about the potential dangers.
"Parents listen to people who are in a position of authority," she said. "If they actually take the time to pull that piece of paper out of the backpack and read it, there's a good chance it will have a good effect."
The students involved in the Des Moines party were never charged.
Mount Rainier High Principal Julie Hunter said that after it happened, her primary concern was supporting students involved in or troubled by the episode, and making sure they knew they could talk to counselors about it. She said online safety is part of the topic for freshman orientation at the school.
"It's something we have to keep at the forefront," she said. "You send that text or put something on Facebook, you can never take it back. It can cause a lot of damage."
The video spread quickly among the kids at Mount Rainier High School last year, and in addition to the potential harm to the couple involved, the episode became a distraction in the classroom - and prompted considerations about whether those who took and shared the video might face child pornography charges.
The incident is the type Seattle's top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan, is hoping to prevent with a new back-to-school Internet safety campaign. Durkan has asked public and private elementary and middle schools throughout Western Washington to send home a letter from her with each student, accompanied by tips for parents and children about how to keep them out of trouble, whether the danger is online predators, bullying or unwisely shared cell phone pictures.
"We've seen an increase in all types of cyber crime," Durkan said in a recent interview. "The hope is to really put a focus on education and prevention. We'd rather do that than some of the heartbreaking cases we do."
The tips for kids include a series of warnings: Don't post personal information online. Don't send inappropriate photos or messages by email or text. Don't write online posts making it clear no one is at your home. Do remember that people can lie online; someone who says they're a 12-year-old girl could really be an older man.
For parents, they include guidelines for dealing with a child's use of technology: Set limits for how much time your children can spend online, and know whom they're communicating with. Make sure you have all of your child's passwords, and review their emails and messages periodically. Keep the computer in a shared space, rather than in your child's bedroom.
Bethan Cantrell, a Bellevue mother of two school-aged children, is an Internet safety advocate who has given seminars on the topic to parent-teacher groups. She said the tips include a lot of common sense, and some of the most important advice for parents is simply to talk to their children rationally about the potential dangers.
"Parents listen to people who are in a position of authority," she said. "If they actually take the time to pull that piece of paper out of the backpack and read it, there's a good chance it will have a good effect."
The students involved in the Des Moines party were never charged.
Mount Rainier High Principal Julie Hunter said that after it happened, her primary concern was supporting students involved in or troubled by the episode, and making sure they knew they could talk to counselors about it. She said online safety is part of the topic for freshman orientation at the school.
"It's something we have to keep at the forefront," she said. "You send that text or put something on Facebook, you can never take it back. It can cause a lot of damage."
The fact is that parents need to talk to their children, period. About sex, the internet, drugs, everything. This day and age kids are subjected to so much nonsense on tv and the internet that that's where they are learning these negative behaviors. It's cool, ya know?
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Parents, talk to your kids. Use the internet to your advantage. Show your kids articles about the negative effects of sexting, posting on the internet, predators. Make them aware of what this world is truly like because most kids are just naive and think they are doing what's "cool."
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@Tattooed_Angel I wonder out of those kids if there was a father in the home raising those kids?
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@lovestolearn Thank you for sticking up for me. I did get a little too upset about that comment but it is a touche subject for me. I try to not let my emotions interfere with my opinions on these forums but last night was an exception.
@wynooheeman
Your right. I apologize for jumping down your throat. That was uncalled for. It is a very sensitive subject for me. I took offense to your insinuation that had no merit whatsoever.
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Fact is, this is an issue with EVERYONE regardless of if there is 1 or 2 parents in the home, rich or poor, famous or not... Look at all the celebrities that have porn tapes being shot, nude photos leaked, ect. Those are the role models for today's youth.
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And I don't need to look in the mirror and make a change. I am quite happy with the my life. I may have been quick to take offense but that's because I have had to deal with people like you for years who look down upon single parent households.
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By the way, I'd like the link to your statistics. I think your numbers may be off. 1 in 3 children live in father-absent homes. Your telling me that 87% of those children are more likely to be in a gang?
 @wynooheeman  @Tattooed_Angel I don't think she reacted poorly. She explained where she was coming from. You, I believe, reacted poorly because she didn't agree with your comment entirely. She does not need to make any changes so long as she is content with where she is. I have seen her comment in other threads and she seems to have a good head on her shoulders.
@Tattooed_Angel were did I say your a single parent or your worthless or a bad parent? you took offence to it. All I pointed out is that the 30 year study done by the US Dept of justice shows that children raised with out a father in the home make poor judgements 87 percent are more likely to be involed in gangs and out of those 87 percent 90 percent of them will be in an out of prison or dead by age 21. So as I stated if there was a loving kind two parent home! most kids would not do stupid. were as you who I never imagained was single could careless what your status is was or will be. you took offence to it and you might want to look in the mirror and make a change.
The law, with regard to fit, has yet to catch up to the world of the internet and treating minors who take cell phone pictures of themselves the same as pedophile rapists in court (as some prosecutors in some other parts of the country have) is no answer at all. Parents have more, not less, responsibilities in the tech century. This topic is a new challenge in this society and will take numerous stakeholders working intelligently to navigate intelligently.Â
How stupid can kids and people be? once on the internet for ever on the internet!
@wynooheeman Most kids just don't understand that. Heck, even some adults don't understand that.
@Tattooed_Angel
Bottom line is we don't need an internet campaign against Sexting, because its going to happen, but what we need a Common Sense Campaign for parents, and there kids.Â
Yeah like having a bunch of adults talk to you about it is going to change kids behavior.
@FBrumfield Um your post is as dumb as you are! That is like saying kids can not comprehend or control their bodies or minds. I am sure when your boss tells you to do something or change your attitude at work it just bounces of your thick scull! An you just do what you want.
 @wynooheeman  @FBrumfield I am not saying that they don't comprehend.  How often is something presented to kids like this just to have it backfire.  Drinking, Drugs, Sex ed and birth control?  It gets talked to death and nothing changes.  The age of kids first experience is getting younger every year. Â
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As for your personal attack on me. Â Seek help. Â You seem to have some anger issues.
 @wynooheeman  @FBrumfield wow--personal attack? And a misspelled personal attack at that. That's pretty sad.
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Kids are smart and can make up their own minds. If a child is having underage sex (and having it in the open where they can be taped) then they've already gone past the point of "Gosh, Mom and Dad. I didn't realize there were ramifications to this so bowing to your wisdom I'll stop." You need to start younger than high school, and your children actually have to respect and listen to you. Respect is "earned". It's not automatic because you were a sperm or egg contributor.
Why not? Are ALL teens expected to act like rabbits in your opinion? We tell teens not to speed or else they could end up in a car crash and get injured or killed. Some heed that advice, some don't. Same thing here. If my parents sat me down and told me all of the ramifications of this "sexting" stuff, I would sure think twice.