NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Police are issuing a warning for Mid-State youth disturbing pornographic images of themselves and their friends via the Internet.
Although sent by minors, the cases are considered child porn and violators will be prosecutors.
Currently in Metro, Sex Crimes Detective Mike Adkins says he has five cases of child-initiated child porn on his desk and the number of cases continues to climb.
According to Adkins, either the juveniles don't understand the risks involved or they don't care.
"The children are committing several crimes manufacturing of child porn, distribution of child porn and if it is still on their phones or computers, the possession of child porn," he explained, adding, "To the kids, understand this is a crime and the Internet is a real place with real rules that you have to follow and if you don't follow them you could wind up in jail."
Adkins told Nashville's News 2 Investigates social networks like Facebook are required to report such violations and it's up to parents to make sure their kids are well educated about the dangers of the World Wide Web.
"Their parents need to sit down and say, ‘Here is what you can do and cannot do on the Internet,'" he said.
Adkins says parents must to talk to their children, know who they are friends with online, look at their computers and limit how and who they talk to on social networks.
Banning Web cams is also a good idea.
"I can't think of any reason for a kid to have a Web cam in their own room," Adkins said. "If they do, I can guarantee they are doing things that you might not want them to do."
While district attorneys have been reluctant to prosecute child-initiated child porn cases, Adkins predicts that will soon change.
