WEST BEND, Wis. — A new ordinance making its way through Washington County would allow deputies to fine minors up to $250 if caught sending explicit content to each other.
Community members in Washington County believe more laws and online regulations could help curb digital bullying and harassment between children.
"Anything that would be helpful to kids, I would be completely supportive of," Barbara Teipner Wargolet said.
"The problem with these social networking sites is that some people can post anonymously," Dennis Ryan said.
Some residents said smartphones and social media make online bullying and harassment easier to perpetrate.
Watch: Proposed Washington County ordinance targeting minors caught 'sexting' has resident support
"Because people are so anonymous in what they do," Teipner Wargolet said. "They don't have to face things. Some kind of ordinance that can hold people accountable I would support."
The Washington County Sheriff's Office is pushing this ordinance because they're seeing too many cases of minors sending sexual text messages and pictures to someone they think they can trust, only to have those images spread around online.
"That juvenile may have distributed that image consensually, but what they're not realizing and thinking about, is where is that image going from there?" Wash. Co. Lieutenant of Detectives Tim Kemps said. "The next thing they know it's spreading like wildfire."
The local ordinance would only apply to minors, not adults legally messaging other consenting adults. If someone receives unsolicited explicit messages and reports it, they would not face penalties, while senders could be fined.
"It gives us an enforcement tool at a lower level rather than referring charges to youth justice for serious felonies," Kemps said.
Next, the ordinance will go to the County Board for approval and then County Executive Josh Schoemann would need to sign off on it.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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