Gov. Charlie Baker and local prosecutors want to update state law on what to do when minors send each other sexually explicit photos.
As the law stands now, prosecutors in Massachusetts are only able to deal with minors who share unauthorized explicit photos of others, or sext, with a felony child pornography charge.
At Boston Latin Academy Tuesday, Baker said his bill would give prosecutors new ways to divert minors from the justice system into educational programs without saddling them with a sex offence record.
“The tools available to district attorneys and law enforcement historically here have been blunt instruments and haven’t been able to distinguish between kids making stupid discussions and real intent to cause harm,” Baker said.
The bill also criminalizes adult distribution of explicit images for purposes of embarrassment, or so-called revenge porn.
