14-Year-Old Girl May Be Sex Offender After Uploading Racy Myspace Pictures

A New Jersey teen has been accused of child pornography after posting nearly 30 explicit nude pictures of herself on MySpace.com; charges that could force her to register as a sex offender if convicted.

The case probably comes as a result from prosecutors pursuing child pornography cases resulting from kids sending nude photos via cell phones and e-mail. (Do we really have to watch another newscast on “sexting?” Come on!)  Legal experts, though, could not recall another case of a child porn charge resulting from a teen’s posting to a social networking site.

Myspace has a team that reviews the network for innapropriate content, and they tipped off the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, causing quite a bit of hub-bub. Did i mention that this girl is 14? Fourteen. Think about it. Supposedly, the girl posted them because she wanted her boyfriend to see them. She could face up to 17 years in jail and be forced to register as a sex offender, though the jail sentence is unlikely.

Some observers are criticizing the trend of prosecuting teens who send racy text messages or post illicit photos of themselves. What do you think?