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West Virginia Lawmakers Ban Sexting By Minors
By: Associated Press
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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.