CELL PHONES, TEXTING AND
SOCIAL MEDIA

Most teens stay connected by using cell phones and texting. It’s your preferred way to communicate with friends and family…it’s fast and immediate and can be done almost everywhere. New Laws have just been put in effect (July 1, 2010) to limit where teens can text in order to protect young drivers and others who share the roadways.

Driving and Cell Phone Use

It is now illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to use a cell phone in any way while operating a motor vehicle. This includes making or receiving phone calls. This law also includes phone use while at stop lights or in traffic…plus absolutely NO writing, sending or reading any text based communication! (HB 23/AP and SB 360/AP)

Inappropriate Texts and Messages

• “Sexting” - Taking inappropriate pictures or movies of yourself
   or others and sending them to friends on their cell phones or
   posting them on line can be a serious crime punishable by
   Child Pornography Laws.

• Sending explicit emails, text messages, or voice mails to a
   person under 18 is illegal and you may be prosecuted.
   OCGASS16-12-100,100.1.

• If you’re texting a boyfriend or girlfriend in another state or chatting
  on a social networking site, beware that other states may have even
  stricter laws.

• Consider this…

       Once you’ve sent something from your phone or computer you
       can’t get it back and you don’t know where it will end up!

       You can never permanently erase what you’ve sent. It can be
       retrieved even if you’ve deleted it!