Mobile phones make it easier to meet new people through social media platforms and dating apps. They also help you develop a bond with a new acquaintance that can lead to a real romance. However, sometimes the behaviors involved in digital flirting can violate state laws.
Those in North Carolina flirting via electronic communications could engage in behaviors that lead to criminal charges. There are at least two situations in which your explicit texts might lead to criminal prosecution.
When you or the recipient is under 18
It is illegal to take, possess or share nude or pornographic images of someone under the age of 18, even if they are pictures of yourself.
Both the age of the person depicted and the age of the recipient matter. Even if the picture does not include an image of someone who is still a minor but is sent to a minor, that behavior could still lead to criminal charges.
When there is someone else in the picture or video
Whether you want to share an example of the kinds of images you find alluring or don’t have many racy photos on your phone to choose from, it is never appropriate to share intimate images or videos that include another person without their specific consent to share this image.
Just because they let you take the image or sent it to you, that does not mean that you can share it with other people. You might open yourself up to claims from the other party included in those images or videos if you share those files without their permission. Recognizing when digital flirting might cross the line to become a sex crime can help you avoid criminal charges.