Oklahoma law states that no one may share, store, or receive any unlawful material by digital means or on a computer. Regardless of whether you believe you are anonymous or whether you deleted files and web history, there is a digital footprint remaining on a computer or website for investigation at any time.
New evidence and media attention have pushed state and federal governments to create more laws to prevent digital sex crimes and punish those who participate. Some of these federal laws are listed below:
- The Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act of 1998: Further punishes repeat sex offenders by restricting Internet access to prisoners and interactive sites/programs.
- The Cybermolesters Enforcement Act of 2000: Suggests stricter punishments for those who stalk children online.
- The Internet Crimes Against Children Prevention Act: Creates training for law enforcement and lawyers who deal with digital child sex crimes.
- The Child Sex Crimes Wiretapping Act of 1999: States that if convicted of a child sex act, the crime is a basis for the government to monitor any of the offender’s means of communication.
- The Electronic Communications Privacy Act: Allows access to any offender’s means of digital communication if it might provide evidence that a child sex crime has happened.
Even if the offender and victim have never physically met, such actions warrant a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, up to $5,000.00 in fines, or both and official registration as a sex offender. An offender may also be restricted from certain housing, jobs, and general public areas. These sentences may also be lengthened depending on the specific crime (i.e. child pornography, asking for sex or sexual acts from minors online, or sexting.)