There are many distinct ramifications of engaging in sexting as someone under the age of 18 and the details of which are often misunderstood or largely unknown. The biggest is the legal sanctions that accompany it and its ambiguity. Sexting is the topic of the essay as it is of huge importance to understand how the laws work and what consequences can occur. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages, images, or videos via electronic means, such as text messages or social media. While sexting can be consensual and consensual between adults, it can also be non-consensual and have serious legal and personal consequences, especially for young people under the age of 18. This is supported by the fact that multiple different credible sources also contribute to this uncertainty. For example, if you do a quick Google search for “Australian child pornography law,” the answers on whether or not it is illegal to send illicit images to a 16-year-old are very different depending on which site you click on. The first link that appears is a website with information on some of the best lawyers in the country, Nyman Gibson Miralis, who you would most likely assume has some of the best legal advice you can find in the United States. “In Australia, child pornography is classified as a sexualised depiction of people under the age of 16.” Which is completely different to many other sources such as the Western Australian government, who state that: “Under Australian law it is illegal use the telephone or the Internet to take, keep, view, send, or ask someone to send sexual messages." images or videos of anyone under 18 (or anyone who appears under 18). "The importance that the public understanding or being able to gather information about current laws and the consequences of violating those laws is critical, and the stark ambiguity regarding sexting is no exception. To actually gather the correct information on this topic I had to explicitly find the criminal code on the subject, something that none of these credible sites reference which states that, apart from Tasmania and the Northern Territory, it is illegal to send illicit photos to anyone under the age of 16. The punishment for these crimes can vary greatly, but cases can reach up to 5 years in prison and in almost every conceivable case the offender is registered on the sex offender registry. This can have catastrophic impacts on someone's life, whether it's the overall reputation that comes with it, the impact on their job search, or completely obliterating their ability to apply for certain jobs involving children. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, uncertainty about what the laws and regulations are has a huge impact and should not be taken lightly. This, plus the fact that punishments can be incredibly severe, means that the information gathered should be as simple and clear as possible. This is certainly not the case. References Australian Institute of Criminology. (2019). Child pornography crimes: production. [online] Available at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/special/010/child-pornography-offences-production [Accessed 10 September 2019].Getthefacts.health.wa.gov.au. (2019). Sexting | Get the facts. [online] Available at: https://www.getthefacts.health.wa.gov.au/keeping-safe/sexting [Accessed. 2019].