Chief Deputy Jeremy Hogrefe of the Wright County Sheriff’s Department visited the Wright County schools, including Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary to talk about online safety. There, he spoke about using proper media etiquette, not disclosing private/personal information, and addressing on-line cyber bullying.
He also stopped by Robert Blue Middle School in Eagle Grove to discuss a problem that is becoming increasingly prominent in Wright County, but many youth don’t even realize is a crime. “Sexting,” as it is referred to, is defined by Wikipedia as the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photographs, or videos, primarily between mobile phones, of oneself to others. It may also include the use of a computer or any digital device. According to Hogrefe, it also includes sending explicits of other people as well. “We’ve seen a big trend in sexting in Wright County,” said Hogrefe, who has been in law enforcement for the past 24 years.
He explained to the students that there is a big misconception out there – that sexting is okay if you’re young and you’re just sending it to a friend. It’s not okay! Hogrefe said it is rare, a minor can in fact be placed on the sex offenders list for the violation under the right set of circumstances and if tried as an adult.
Lots of students had questions for Hogrefe, most of them worrying what happens if they receive a nude or inappropriate photo. Could they get in trouble? His answer was that law enforcement always does an investigation, looking at all the details and circumstances surrounding the situation. He advised them that the best thing to do should they receive unsolicited/inappropriate photos or content is to show a parent, guardian, or teacher and let them contact an officer. You should never forward these photos to others because that would be considered distribution of pornography. “What you do today follows you tomorrow,” Hogrefe said to the young students as he encouraged them to make good choices.
The best way you can prevent unwanted photos of yourself from being distributed is to not take them in the first place. He told them it’s easy to think that they are just taking one photo and sending it to one person, but the problem is, there’s no way to stop that one person from sharing it with anyone else. “The most important thing is, who are your pictures getting to?” Hogrefe asked the kids.
With social media and texting, it takes only one click of the button for hundreds of people to see it, he reminded them. Because of this, the Wright County Sheriff’s Department has started putting even more emphasis on internet and social media crimes in the last decade. Some students seemed surprised to learn that even though you delete texts, calls, photos, etc. from your computer and phone, they can still be retrieved by law enforcement officials. And Snapchat…you may think it disappears after it’s opened, but even those files can be recovered.
“How many of you want to be doctors, or lawyers?” Hogrefe asked the students. “No matter what job you want to be when you grow up, a digital footprint could stop you from achieving it.”
Sexting (sending and receiving) is prosecutable by law. The offense can be charged as a serious misdemeanor all the way up to a felony and can come with county jail or even prison time if you are tried as an adult.
Many young kids also don’t think about the dangers of gaming systems that let you connect or play with other people online. Hogrefe asked the kids how many of them own an Xbox or PlayStation. Many of the students raised their hands. He then reminded them that while the people you play with may seem like friends, you never really know who they are, versus who they SAY they are. “Don’t ever give them your name or even where you live,” said Hogrefe.
That’s not to say everyone on those systems are bad, but some of them are, and they are there to “groom” young children. They become the person your son or daughter wants them to be, telling them the things they want to hear, buying them gifts, and potentially even getting them to meet without their parents’ knowledge…all leading up to potentially dangerous situations like drugs, prostitution, and pornography…human trafficking.
Technology has made life easier in a number of ways, giving us access to information at our fingertips, keeping us more easily connected with family and friends, and always having a camera in our pockets to capture those special moments…but it has also brought about many concerns. The camera in our phones that can capture great memories can also bring great harm when used inappropriately. Social media that keeps us connected can also destroy a reputation in the push of a button. That is why Hogrefe and the Wright County Sheriff’s Department are joining forces with parents and educators, to help young minds understand the dangers that are out there; that they must always think twice about their actions; that they should think before they post, whether it’s photos or words, because once you hit “send,” it’s out in the technology world forever.
