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Virginia law enforcement is joining the federal and international effort to fight child pornography by investigating instances in which teenagers -- some as young as 12 --- are using the technology their parents provide them to keep them safe from harm and help them broaden their learning in ways they find amusing, but may be fraught with severe consequences.  We're talking mobile phones and digital cameras here.

"Sexting" is the transmission of obscene depictions of the human body, or obscene acts, using a cellular telephone." It is a very simple thing to do if you are handy with a cellular telephone, and have access digital camera, even one on a cell phone. Digital images uploaded from a camera can be sent via a cellular telephone to anyone with a camera phone.

This out-of-class "show and tell" is becoming commonplace among teenagers. Kids are sending nude photos of themselves or others (or of particular body parts) to friends. Why? Who knows! However, parents need to be aware of what their children are doing with their cell phones before the police get involved.

Henrico County police are investigating what they believe may be widespread "sexting" conduct by junior high school students. Once their investigation has concluded, they will turn over their findings to the Commonwealth's Attorney and let him decide whether to prosecute or not. However, this is not just a "local problem." Transmission of obscene images of persons under 18 years old is a federal crime!