Digital dating can be an awkward and frustrating experience. It can be hard to tell if someone has misrepresented themselves or to determine if you have any chemistry when interacting over a device instead of face-to-face.
If you have casually flirted with someone else on social media, a dating app or text messages, you may want to take the conversation to the next level. Before you take an explicit picture to demonstrate your interest, it’s important that you first get the other person’s permission to send it.
Otherwise, they could have you charged with a crime under Texas law.
Unsolicited nude pictures are a criminal offense in Texas
Texting can be an exciting and fun way for people to connect with one another, but it can also be another way for people to harass and abuse others. Women, in particular, report higher rates of unsolicited and unpleasant pornographic or explicit images shared without their permission on social media and similar platforms.
Texas lawmakers have taken action on this issue by criminalizing the unsolicited sharing of sexually explicit or nude images with another person. If the recipient is upset or offended by your picture, they could report you to the police. The result might be that you face Class C misdemeanor charges over what was truly just a misguided attempt at getting closer to the recipient.
Allegations of this kind of misconduct could lead to lasting consequences, which is why it’s important to know the law so that you don’t violate it. Those accused of sex crimes related to how they approach dating may need help with a solid defense.