A SOPO storm in a tea cup?

"Will email marketing make you a registered sex offender"
"Sending offensive emails can land you on the UK Sex Offenders' Register"
"Racy emails could land sender on Sex Offender List"

Really ... Seems to me that there has been rather too much headline searching here. 

The recent introduction of The Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Amendment of Schedules 3 and 5) Order 2007 no doubt has important connotations, and it's clear that the law now makes it possible for someone to become the subject of a Sexual Offences Notification Order (SOPO) as a result of their email activity. But is it likely that sending your friends 'THAT' picture of Jordan is going to have on the Sex Offenders' List? OF COURSE NOT!

What then is the real message behind the headlines?

I consider there are three clear messages; 1. society is increasingly less tolerant of sexual offences, 2.   increasing use of electronic surveillance means there is no place to hide, the equivalent I suppose of clamping down on 'digital sex tourism', and 3. legislation is catching up with technology, closing down any loopholes that existed in law.