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UK Proposes Banning Computer Generated Abuse

peterprior writes "The UK Justice Minister is planning to outlaw computer generated images and drawings of child sex abuse. While photographs and videos of child sex abuse are already illegal, undoubtedly to protect children from being exploited by these acts, what children will be protected by this new law? If there is no actual child involved is the law merely protecting against the possibility of offenders committing future crimes against real children?"

74 of 740 comments (clear)

  1. Thought Police! by kawabago · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This can only mean there are now illegal thoughts.

    1. Re:Thought Police! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Easy solution: ban any and all pictures of children. No ambiguities anymore, and it'll also have the nice side effect of keeping us safe from new parents bombarding us with pictures of their drooling spawn...

    2. Re:Thought Police! by Stanislav_J · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The whole "intent to arouse" thing is troublesome, to say the least. One, how do you discern intent and, two, arouse who? The average person, or someone who happens to have a very specific fetish?

      I'm sure, long before the Internet and computers existed, there were individuals who got their jollies looking at the children's underwear photos in the Sears catalog. Sears certainly did not publish those photos with the "intent to arouse," and 99.99999% of those looking at the catalog would not have that reaction. When we start banning things because some teeny tiny minority of users MIGHT derive sexual pleasure from them in a manner that triggers the "eewwww!" factor in most people, we're getting mighty close to thoughtcrime.

      So, if a photographer produces photos of underage children in their underwear that are in every way indistinguishable from the Sears photos, but markets them under a website called "hotpreteensintheirundies.com" and uses suggestive, lascivious language to describe them, these otherwise unremarkable images become "child porn." This reminds me of the famous case I recall from my college communications classes where a publication (was it Screw magazine? This was a long time ago...) was judged not to contain obscene material; however, because the publisher marketed it as "obscene," and used that word in promotion, it was considered to be obscene. This is ludicrous.

      By rights, there should be no harm, no foul when it comes to images if (a)no children were actually physically assaulted or harmed (as in the underwear images above), or (b)no actual sexual activity is depicted, or (c)the individuals involved are actually 18+, or (d)the individuals depicted do not actually exist (as in computer or manually generated art). In all of these cases, no actual child was in any way harmed or sexually assaulted.

      The notion that such images may possibly, maybe, under the right circumstances, in some very few rare and isolated cases inspire a potential pedophile to actually harm a child is irrelevant. (And, as others have pointed out, WE DON'T KNOW if this is the case, because hardly any studies have been done, and probably will never be done, because of the distasteful nature of the subject matter.) ANYTHING can potentially inspire a sick mind to do heinous things. (The book "Catcher in the Rye" and the movie "Taxi Driver" were never intended to inspire a potential assassin, yet they played a significant role in, respectively, motivating Chapman to kill Lennon, and Hinkley to shoot Reagan.) As soon as we start criminalizing things based on "maybes" and "mights" and unproven possible unintended effects on isolated psychopaths, then the Law has become an orderless, featureless blob of goo instead of a carefully crafted guideline to protect the safety of the general society.

      But (HEAVY SIGH), we ARE talking about CHILDREN here. And, as we all know too well, anything that even slightly reeks of "protect the children" insures that common sense and logic will quickly be cast aside....

      --
      "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." -- Eric Hoffer
    3. Re:Thought Police! by Mr.+Slippery · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Of course there are illegal thoughts...Keep in mind, thinking of a crime is far from criminal

      See how you contradict yourself here?

      Look at how crimes are investigated: motive, opportunity, and intent. Proving only one aspect won't convict anyone, and two are completely a matter of thought.

      It's motive, means, and opportunity. Only motive is a matter of thought, and it only needs to be proven if there's not direct evidence; if fifty witnesses see you commit a crime and you're apprehended immediately, no one needs to consider your motive to convict you.

      It's not that having a motive is a crime, it's that we generally believe that people do things for reasons; the jury is only going to believe that John murdered Joe if they can imagine a reason.

      There are times to stand up for your rights, and times to stand aside and acknowledge a greater cause.

      There is no greater cause than freedom.

      I'm sorry that friends of yours were sexually abused. People who sexually abuse people need to be removed from polite society. People who are accomplices in the sexual abuse of other people need to be removed from polite society.

      But people who view images of sexual abuse are no more guilty of abuse than people who watch slasher pics - or the news - are guilty of murder. And people who create or view entirely synthetic images of sexual abuse have done nothing that violates the rights of others.

      --
      Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
      You cannot wash away blood with blood
    4. Re:Thought Police! by vux984 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The whole "intent to arouse" thing is troublesome, to say the least.

      Why is the 'perpetrators' intentions troublesome? Surely its obvious that it bears on the degree of the crime, and whether a crime was even comitted.

      Surely you can agree there is a difference between a man forgetting to turn off the stove and burning down his home killing his family... and a man plotting to set a fire, burn down his house and killing his family?

      Surely the former deserves sympathy, while the latter deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

      One, how do you discern intent and,

      Same way intent is always determined. You look for evidence. You present the evidence. And a jury decides. Its not perfect. And criminals often go free, and sometimes innocent people are convicted. But that's life in an imperfect world.

      How else would you have it?

      two, arouse who? The average person, or someone who happens to have a very specific fetish?

      Why would it matter WHO. If the intent was to arouse someone, then its intent was to arouse someone. If the intent was not to arouse someone, but someone got aroused anyway, then it still not intent to arouse.

      And, as we all know too well, anything that even slightly reeks of "protect the children" insures that common sense and logic will quickly be cast aside....

      1) If society as a whole finds something so distasteful that they want to purge it completely, why is it illogical that they would pass laws forbidding computer generated depictions of it? Why shouldn't they?

      2) What is the benefit to society of allowing or even legally protecting computer generated child porn? If society near universally doesn't want it, and considers the extreme minority that does want it to be sick and in need of help at best and a perverted deviant criminal at worst...

      At the end of the day there is no escaping the tyranny of the majority...if almost everybody agrees on something, then society will do it. There's no stopping that. There's no point in trying to stop it.

      If you want to change this, you'll have to change the way society thinks. Slavery wasn't abolished because it was illogical and common sense... it took time and effort to convince enough people to think of them as people, that racism and slavery were wrong. Good luck doing that for child porn though; as even the most open minded people generally think its beyond distasteful. They might see the validity of an argument for computer generated child porn not hurting anyone... but that's a long way from getting their support -- they are hardly going to march in protest of the child pornographers rights, to protect them from injustice. We'll fully legalize drugs, prostitution, gambling, and gay marriage long before we'll legalize any form of child porn.

      There's just virtually no support for it.

      So let it be banned, there's no stopping it, and no real point to trying to legalize it anyway.

      But be vigilant against politicians milking it for their own gain, or to slip other legislation through. We can't stop anti-child-porn legislation from passing, have little reason to stop it from passing... but we should be vigilant that we aren't passing anti-child-porn legislation that really has nothing to do with child-porn. Letting customs seize and search laptops for child-porn for example, is NOT about child-porn at all... its about letting customs seize and search everyone's laptops for whatever they want.

  2. Re:Pedophiles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Gee, I had no idea South Park was considered snuff. Oh my god, you killed free expression! You bastard!

  3. If they closed the loophole earlier ... by Deltic55 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... would a recent Simpson's movie have been unviewable in the UK due to Bart Simpson's brief nudity?

  4. Re:Pedophiles by Zironic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So you have no problem with the concept of thought crime ?

    Killing people because of what they think is most likely not a good idea.

  5. Re:It's about psychology by sqrt(2) · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Even if you're right, that's the price of free speech. You either protect everything, even the vile, disgusting, hateful speech you disagree with or you don't have free speech at all.

    --
    If you build it, nerds will come. Soylentnews.org
  6. logical progression by papabob · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Its banned to have images with real children, as it should be. Now they want to ban just a drawing. Then, they will want to ban writings talking about child abuse; think of it, not only adult/porn books but every novel in which any of the characters had been abused. After that it will be illegal to talk about sex with children. Results? child abuse will be an undeground thing again, flying below the radar of the society (as it was 30-40 years ago) and the govt/media will have to find the next ScaryThing(tm). Somebody should tell them that a mental illness cannot be fixed with a ban...

    1. Re:logical progression by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Naw, just wait. The Pedophiles will get their rights just like the Homosexuals did.

      (Have i offended someone? Good!)

      The topic is not easy, not at all. While i can perfectly agree that raping children is wrong, pedophilia in- and itself does not hurt anyone.

      It's basically the same as homosexuality - something that's wired the wrong way (from a pure biological standpoint). That doesn't make these people bad, wrong, pervert, sick, or anything else like that.

      The only difference is that homosexuality can be lived out between consenting adults, while pedophilia cannot.

      However, current society treats pedophiles (and i'm talking about pedophiles, not rapists) like they already committed a crime.

      Add to that the issue that from a biological standpoint sex is a.ok. from the time a girl can get pregnant, but depending on where you live you'll have to wait much longer than that.

    2. Re:logical progression by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The logical progression is of course to ban children.

      I am sure the UK government is working on this. After all, children will grow up, and some of them might be abusers. We can't take the risk. Think of the children!... ("Oh, Wait" is not supported by the present "government by knee jerk" strategy)

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    3. Re:logical progression by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      something that's wired the wrong way (from a pure biological standpoint)


      Lusting after attractive 12 year olds is not wrong from a purely biological standpoint, in fact it makes perfect sense. In order to propagate your genes as much as possible, the best tactic is to impregnate as many young girls as possible. The sooner you get to them the better, since by having your children it prevents them having anyone else's for at least 9 months, not to mention the attachment they then form with you that makes it harder for others to impregnate them. From a purely animalistic point of view, girls just into puberty should be the most (physically) attractive.

      As for homosexuality, it's a natural phenomenon. Sure, it reduced the chances of procreation, but it is a common enough genetic variation that it is considered normal.
      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    4. Re:logical progression by Fastolfe · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You seem to be confusing pedophilia with rape. A person can be a pedophile without ever touching a child/minor. This distinction is important to understanding the problem with laws like this.

  7. Re:Pedophiles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Snuff movies are still snuff movies when nobody really dies. It's the idea of it, not the act.
    Right. Stop watching action/horror/thriller movies then. Oh, and stop playing any game except perhaps bejeweled or tetris. And I hope you won't ever have a bad day and wish that someone had an accident... Real child porn is bad, children are hurt. CGI child porn is just sick, but if it's keeping real children safe, let the pedophiles enjoy it.
  8. Greeting citizen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I look foreward to your up comming shooting spree in Japan. I would appreciate you doing everything you can to spare Gravure Idols. I'm sure their enthusiasim for mass transit will present a number of attractive targets.

    Hurting children is vile. Expression of vile ideas, is both forewarning and proof of freedom. The inability to recognize the difference is ignorance, and the first step towards tragedy.

  9. Re:It's about psychology by sqrt(2) · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The effect they have on real children has not been demonstrated as far as I've seen, and certainly not to the high standard of evidence that should be required given what is at stake and the frightening precedent that would be set.

    --
    If you build it, nerds will come. Soylentnews.org
  10. Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Right, as I'm posting this as an anon. coward, I know there won't be as heavy leverage behind my opinion. Nevertheless... this is drawing a -very- fine line. Child porn is a horrible, horrible thing. But to ban computer generated images is the first step down a slippery road.

    It's illegal to rape anyone, or to kill anyone. Does that mean images, or say 90% of films in the case of the latter, should one day be outlawed? What of films like lolita? OK, so you can argue that these are movies made not for the purpose of people getting a sick pleasure out of it. Surely there will always be people who get pleasure out of graphic images in the way they were not intended.

    I'm just afraid that once you start banning one form of fantasy produced content, not based on an act that has actually helping, what will stop law makers from using this as an example in the future for banning other forms of media? Kind of reminds me of the point the fellas over at South Park tried to make in the Cartoon Wars... either its all alright, or nothing is.

  11. Re:Pedophiles by Iamthecheese · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Terrorists make me sick. The sooner a law is instated that allows us to slaughter the lot of them, the better. Computer generated murders are still murders. Pretending to kill people is still killing people. Its the idea of it, not the act.

    We need to kill every actor who has pretended to kill someone immediately! and ban every movie with a murder in it. The bible is right out! none of that simulated murder is fit to print. And that talk of abuse in our laws!

    "Massachusetts General Law chapter 265 1:
    The unlawful k***ing of a human being accomplished in one or more of the following modes:
    (1) with deliberately premed****** malice aforethought; or
    (2) with extreme at****ty or cru***y; or
    (3) in the commission or attempted commission of a felony punishable by d**th or imprisonment for life."

    We need to get rid of those laws immediately! No telling what kind of sick bastard might read them!

    --
    If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
  12. Re:It's about psychology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    someone is going to be substantially out of touch with reality if they assume that society nods at them doing it in reality because they are allowed to view CG images of it, but not real images (and are told that they're not allowed to do it).

  13. Re:Pedophiles by SL+Baur · · Score: 5, Insightful
    You make me sick.

    Computer generated child porn is still child porn. Who was harmed?

    Snuff movies are still snuff movies when nobody really dies. It's the idea of it, not the act. Well, better yet, don't watch it. If it's the idea of it, then all of Hollywood should be prosecuted.

    But Hollywood is profit driven, so how about just not watching it? I've spent US$0 on US movies in the US in the last 10 years (and I'm not BitTorrenting stuff), and you?

    I think society would be better served by putting people like you in jail than *anybody* else.
  14. After RFTA by Martian_Kyo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I dub this law as Anti-Hentai law.

    1. Re:After RFTA by mdwh2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What's to stop the Hentai Artists to just say that their characters are over 16? Indeed, what's to stop any of these artists just saying that their CGI models are over 16?

      Nothing. Just as there's nothing to stop the police arresting them anyway, and the jury ignoring the claims that the girl who looks to them to possibly be 16/17 is actually a 400 year old demon in disguise.

      The difficulties in judging the age show the absurdities in such a law, but I suspect that the age will be based on what a jury thinks, not what the defendant claims.

      (It'll probably have to be over 18.)

  15. Re:Pedophiles by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That is what I was thinking. And where do you draw the line? Hentai? Crudely drawn comic books? Or will even a stick figure get you thrown in jail since a stick figure doesn't have breasts and therefore must be underage? While I am for getting rid of the producers of REAL child porn,a drawing is simply thoughts made form with pixels or paint. And as we have seen lately any power given to the state WILL be abused,and abused badly. Not to mention the child pron laws have already reached the level of insanity that a 15 year old can go to prison for taking pictures of her own body and giving them to her boyfriend. The "save the childrens!" excuse doesn't really fit in this case unless they are determined to save imaginary kids as well. But that is my 02c,YMMV

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  16. Loophole? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This no more constitutes a loophole in UK child porn laws than the ability to freely purchase a water pistol amounts to a loophole in its gun control laws.

    The reasons they gave on the BBC site was that Pedos are using special software to turn photos into drawings. I would like to see this software, it sounds very cool.

  17. Re:Pedophiles by Knuckles · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Snuff movies are still snuff movies when nobody really dies. No they aren't, since the very definition of a snuff movie is that the depicted acts are real.

    --
    "When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
  18. Re:It's about psychology by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While protecting liberties is important, where do you draw the line?

    You don't. It's free speech. When the creep tries to abuse a real child, that's when it's a crime, and that's when you bust them.

    The question is how these images have a real effect on children.

    They don't. That's like asking what effect Bugs Bunny has on real rabbits.

  19. It depends by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm as big a fan of "freedom of thought" as anyone.

    But what are the purposes of these images, from a social/personal/psychological perspective?

    I can see a reasonable argument that their purpose is to create a feedback loop for someone who already has pleasurable thoughts about child sex abuse gaining additional pleasure from looking at them, which in turn feeds future pleasurable thoughts about child sex abuse. It is also not particularly hard to think that someone who obsesses about such things might be encouraged by that loop to make the jump into real life, for example when the computer generated images are no longer "extreme" enough.

    There is, for instance, a recognised pattern with (adult) porn that certain types of user will inevitably seek out harder and harder stuff because the less extreme stuff no longer excites to the same degree.

    If these images even slightly reinforce that sex with children is acceptable or pleasurable, and if (in addition) they have no other legitimate purpose or value, then I think there must be a reasonable basis for arguing that banning them does not in any way infringe a freedom worthy of protection.

    Yes, yes, once you get on the slippery slope of making that judgment it's all very complicated and risky. I don't know that I totally buy the foregoing reasoning myself. But a society which champions freedom of expression/thought/speech/action must perhaps still draw some limits or find some coherent basis for existence, or else risk becoming utterly dysfunctional. I fear the death of western culture by relativism of values whilst other (much less permissive) cultures, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, thrive by virtue of their strict enforcement of specific values.

    However I'd be interested to hear counter-arguments or suggestions of what other value these types of pictures could possibly have to anyone.

    As a totally alternative argument, consider that kiddy porn is a form of serious mental illness or addiction (I personally regard it as a form of mental illness), with the potential for dangerous symptoms to arise in some sufferers. Controlling access to these images can then be regarded as analagous to controlling access to addictive drugs.

    1. Re:It depends by glas_gow · · Score: 2, Insightful

      So far, many have asked "who does it hurt?" Who does it hurt to suppress such images? Are they essential to a free society. It infringes upon an individual's right to view a depiction of child abuse. Why would anyone want to view children being abused? I don't think this is about naked babies in christening cards, or cherubs. However, I can think of one problem. Artistic depictions of child abuse. Films, novels and dramas in which child abuse is central to the story. Courts will have considerable problems separating gratuitous depictions of child abuse from legitimate dramatic representations. Perhaps it would be better (if there is a pressing need for this) to limit the law to those already convicted of offences relating to children. If viewing depictions of child abuse is part of a larger pattern of behaviour, then it should only be an offence when there is evidence of a wider pattern of behaviour.

    2. Re:It depends by Zelos · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Surely the default position for any free society should be to allow things and only legislate when there is demonstrable proof of harm? Otherwise you start to get chilling effects.

    3. Re:It depends by MSZ · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I can see a reasonable argument that their purpose is to create a feedback loop for someone who already has pleasurable thoughts about child sex abuse gaining additional pleasure from looking at them, which in turn feeds future pleasurable thoughts about child sex abuse. It is also not particularly hard to think that someone who obsesses about such things might be encouraged by that loop to make the jump into real life, for example when the computer generated images are no longer "extreme" enough.

      This was predominant theory half century ago, which supported bans on pornography, censorship etc. Then some countries lifted the ban under the less supported theory, that such material provides surrogate fulfilment. Statistically they were correct as the number of sex-related crimes fell sharply. Surely some of the sickos will go into feedback loop, but most of them will happily "go manual" while drooling on the pages/screens.

      But a society which champions freedom of expression/thought/speech/action must perhaps still draw some limits or find some coherent basis for existence, or else risk becoming utterly dysfunctional.

      The most logical limit is very simple: Was any child actually abused to make that particular material? If yes, drag the producer to the jail, lock him up and throw away the key. Punish for real crime, not thoughtcrime.

      Anyway, even for people that are not into this kind of "entertainment", it's quite important to defend freedom. If it's legal to publish sick offensive shit (with a limitation as above) it guarantees the right to publish anything less sick and less offensive, like the views of average people. Larry Flynt comes to mind...

      And UK is "special" (like in "special olympics") when it comes to related issues. There's very few actual cases of this kind of abuse, but the local media paint a picture of a country with violent pedophile at every corner, in every bush and three of them in every dark alley. With this level of hysteria they may very well ban photos of children whatsoever or require permits and observation by govt inspector.
      --
      The moon is not fully subjugated. I demand a second assault wave preceded by a massive nuclear bombardment.
    4. Re:It depends by TheLink · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "More seriously, a person who enjoys child porn almost certainly enjoys looking at children in real life, as well. So should we ban children from all public spaces just in case there happens to be a paedophile around who will have bad thoughts because they happen to see a child they find attractive? "

      Nah the next step is to make them wear a hijab/burqa/chador, just like in those Islamic countries.

      I'm sure many adults have bad thoughts, even illegal ones when they happen to see an adult they find attractive.

      Some also have bad illegal thoughts when they happen to see an adult they find offensive.

      So put everyone in a hijab? ;)

      --
    5. Re:It depends by Mjec · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Perhaps it would be better (if there is a pressing need for this) to limit the law to those already convicted of offences relating to children.

      Crimes that only apply to criminals? That's a slippery slope, my friend...

      --
      "But everyone should know everything." -markab
    6. Re:It depends by fbjon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Careful now, you wouldnt want to upset Slashdot's significant pedophile community. Ah yes, critisizing anti-pedophilia makes one a pedophile. Intellectual honesty is the most tragic casualty of the pedo-panic, IMHO.
      --
      True confidence comes not from realising you are as good as your peers, but that your peers are as bad as you are.
    7. Re:It depends by clam666 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This will continue, of course, until the fetishization of children decreases, and by that I mean the fetishzation of children by their parents and government.

      Ignoring relatively recent human history where children in their early teens were married off, soldiers in wars, or running businesses/plantations/families, we have now created an overindulgent culture of keeping adults as children as long as humanly possible for the enjoyment of parents and politicians who exploit them.

      An aquaintance of mine refers to her dog as "puppy" and treats him as such, regardless of the fact that the dog is 13 years old and on it's last legs. The dog is completely untrained, as to be expected, but now is not even getting some required medical care for a dog of it's age because that might be some sign that the animal isn't a puppy nor immortal.

      Sadly, most of the "parents" I know now are doing similar things with their children. I've overheard conversations between parents chiding each other for cutting junior's hair ("His curls are so cute! We can't cut them!", "Yes, but he's 8 and looks like a roadie from Foghat"), not letting a 6 year old stay up until 3a.m ("She's playing! We have to let children be children!", "Yes dear, but I have to set up for Foghat in the morning."), and my favorite told to my idiot 14 year old nephew ("It doesn't matter what grade that teacher gave you, as long as you tried your best that's all that matters."). Having tried that technique of project completion with employers has met with limited success.

      Luckily, if the child might be showing any signs of rebellion, intelligence, or desire to flourish on their own terms, there are a slew of "disease du jour" and designer drugs to keep them in that glassy-eyed / dopey-smiled state of puppiness. Autism/aspergers/marjoram/whatever is always available in case junior shows a but too much resistance. Pigeon hole them now, keep them in size XXL diapers when they're 16, and keep them from ever leaving mommey and daddy's side. Because as long as they stay, mommy and daddy aren't really, you know, grown-ups or old themselves.

      Now I'm sure there are plenty of kids with "real" mental issues out there. I suspect if the bell curve is to be believed that at least 50% of the population has difficulty telling one end of a chalupa from another, and if special-ed classes and living with their parents until they're 40 gets my drive-thru order right at least most of the time, then it can't be all that bad.

      Before I get modded for being too off topic, let me seamlessly tie that right back in to the article somehow.

      Although real child abuse does occur, most likely it isn't the creepy guy in the street with the bad haircut and thick glasses on slashdot, it's the parent, family relative, or friend that does most of the molesting/abuse. The german sex-ring isn't photographing little Briegh or Taylour as they play in the back yard, it's the baby sitter or cousin or uncle Joe who is doing far worse when no one's watching, and since families rarely turn in one of their own, it's just quietly kept under wraps like the Catholic Church did with "misbehaving" priests who had a taste for alter boys.

      Politicians, knowing this but powerless to prevent it, love to pick up the banner of saving the children from some unknown danger from one of those southeast asian countries with a sex-ring and is much more marketable than passing laws that would prosecute a mother as an accessory who stands by allowing their children to be molested by their new boyfriend but pretending it isn't happening because she doesn't want to "rock the boat".

      It doesn't matter that laws that would prosecute a completely digitally created image where no abuse occurred to anyone would also include 450 year old paintings that show fat naked cherubs (with little penii!) flying around Aphrodite getting it on, consenting adults role playing together (any second they'll have the urge to molest real kids, like them homosexuals!), or the XTian bible raping virgi

      --
      I'm a satanic clam.
  20. Against the law? by mikeg22 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have a question for any legal scholars. First, I have a gut feeling that possession of child pornography is wrong, but what is the rationale for why it is illegal to possess? Is it that the possession implies that the possessor bought it and therefore is driving demand for it? If so, the creation for demand of it has to be considered wrong, which once again I understand at a gut level, but why is it illegal? Maybe the answer to this is that the demand for the material causes actual abuse of children to occur in order to produce the material. Ok, so the root of this is that the demand causes abuse, which is clearly a violation of the rights of a child, and therefore the demand causes the abuse which itself is indicated by possession of the offending material. If my logical train of thought here is correct, why isn't it also illegal to possess a picture (or movie or book etc) of any criminal act? For example, say I had a picture of someone being beaten up. Also say that this picture had no artistic or political value. Possession of this (using the above reasoning) implies that I have created demand for the picture. The demand for the picture (thanks to Adam Smith) causes the creation of the picture, which leads to the actual beating up of someone. Why isn't any media (that has no political or artistic value) depicting a crime considered illegal?

    1. Re:Against the law? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The mere existence of an article of child porn is an affront to the dignity of the victim. Many recovering child abuse victims are tormented daily by the knowledge that people out there are looking at the pictures all the time. This is certainly reason enough to make possession of child porn illegal, even without considering if the demand for child porn creates abuse.

      This argument obviously doesn't apply to generated child porn, so I don't really know if it should be illegal or not.

  21. Look! Peados! by damburger · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now just keep focusing on them whilst we take away all your rights.

    Peadophilia is, statistically speaking, less of a threat to your children than lightning. Seeing as how most child abuse comes from a family member, the best way for parents to protect their child from molestation is to not molest them.

    Yet this insignificant threat is used to scare people into allowing the government to take control of the Internet piece by piece. Our government has an overt disrespect for its subjects (remember, we are not citizens) and seems to think we should only have such rights as allow the economy to function and no more. They need shooting, all of them.

    --
    If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we shoot people for Apollo-related non-sequiturs?
  22. Re:Pedophiles by Jarik_Tentsu · · Score: 5, Insightful

    NOOO! There goes all my Lolicon hentai...=(

    No seriously though, this is really, discrimination against thought crime. Just because someone gets turned on by that kinda stuff doesn't mean they're going to go out there and do it. That's like saying "We should ban all TV's that contain themes such as murder". There's a HUGE difference between seeing Saddam Hussein's execution and watching the latest action flick at the movies. Likewise, if you have animated porn featuring controversial themes - underaged girls, rape, etc - how is that the same as videos which actually have real girls?

    I'm sure there are heaps of guys out there who watch hentai or other animated pornography which feature underaged girls, rape and whatnot. And I'm sure these same people are sickened when they hear about pedophiles going out there and doing shit to little kids - I'm sure all of them are just as likely to want to beat the crap out of rapists and Michael Jackson, and so on.

    The whole point is its a fantasy - a fantasy one could enjoy without their conscience coming and biting them. It's not like watching an animated 15 year old being raped in a high school is gonna make them more likely to go to a high school and do it...unless they're already messed up in the head.

    Honestly, what's next? Banning of violent video games...? Oh wait...

    ~Jarik

  23. Re:Pedophiles by Martian_Kyo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Agree with both posters. This is very blurry area. Borders thought control. We should never feel guilty about thoughts we have, and feeling we have. Cause we cannot control either. What we CAN control is our actions.

    There is a world of difference between someone who thinks about committing an illegal or immoral act and someone who actually commits the act.

    We should recognize that difference.

    Preventive action, where you would imprison people who have dangerous thoughts or intentions is a very tricky and dangerous thing.

    Very reminiscent of certain religions where impure thoughts are punished.

    I am all for arresting and prosecuting producers and to some extent consumers of child pornography.

    However this law will get abused, for political games I assure you.

    By this line of reason. Anyone who watches an action flick is a killer.

  24. Re:Pedophiles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Doesn't matter if you don't like it, thats the point of a free society.

    It is your god given right to be a sick bastard as long as you don't hurt anybody else in the process.

    If it affects no one else you can be as much of a dick, religious nut, liberal, conservative, annoying git, asshat. weirdo, freak, or any other adjective you care to name, as you want.

    Deciding to restrict actions from a society, even when they affect no one else is unacceptable because it opens the door to a very slippery slope. Because then you've got the problem of who gets to decide what's right, and I don't trust anybody with that decision, its far too arbitrary.

    A Muslim will tell you not to eat pork, a Hindu will tell you not to eat beef, which one is right?

    How about since it only matters to the individual, let each one decide form them selves?

    I think the advent of realistic CG pron is a boon for society, people with specific leanings can now have their urges satisfied without having to involve other people. And its just possible that a market for a legal product would weaken the market for illegal pornography, you know the stuff that actually exploits children. Remember the laws banning child pornography were based on the fact that you have to have a child having sex to create it, the laws were not passed to protect the sensibilities of other people. with GC art no actual children are involved

    Its simple economics, you remove the market for something and the suppliers will go away all by them selves when they see theres no money to be made. While it probably wont solve the problem completely I would think that stopping some is better than nothing. :holy creepy batman, my captcha is eighteen!

  25. Good by MagdJTK · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Has anyone who has replied actually read TFA? I've in fact done a lot more as it's been covered on Radio 4 a fair amount.

    The reason they want to ban it is because it's made by converting REAL CHILD PORN into computer generated images. In other words people know they can't distribute real child porn without being very careful, so they convert real child porn to this and get away with it. So demand for this sort of thing drives up demand for child porn and therefore child abuse.

    But I'm sure none of you lot were bothered about that --- too busy getting a hardon about being the first to quote 1984?

    1. Re:Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I call bullshit.

      I bet there's not a single documented case of this.

      It's just a way to circumvent legitimate opposition to thought-crime laws.

  26. Re:Posturig politicians by mpe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That's irrelevant. Serial killers, for example, are "born that way" too, yet they are locked up when caught and sometimes executed. Not everybody has the same mental faculties as the majority of the population, and that can lead to behaviour classified as psychopatic and abnormal.

    Thing is that the mental patterns of serial killers may not be unique to serial killers. IIRC they have quite a lot in common with stock traders. The phrase "make a killing" is even used in the context of finance.
    Also many governments specifically try and train people to be "serial killers", just that they tend to be called "soldiers" in that situation.

  27. Re:Pedophiles by VJ42 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm sure there are heaps of guys out there who watch hentai or other animated pornography which feature underaged girls, rape and whatnot. And I'm sure these same people are sickened when they hear about pedophiles going out there and doing shit to little kids - I'm sure all of them are just as likely to want to beat the crap out of rapists and Michael Jackson, and so on. You see, that's where this law "fails". Hentai artists can just say that their characters are over 16 (age of concent here in the UK), and it magically becomes legal. Lolicon, however you might have a problem (but then I always thought the people who watch lolicon have many problemas anyway...).

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that that particular aspect of this law is unenforcable, as there is no way you can establish the age of animated characters other than by asking the artists unless they are very obviously babies\small children as with lolicon type 'art'.
    --
    If I have nothing to hide, you have no reason to search me
  28. Re:It's about psychology by caitsith01 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Even if you're right, that's the price of free speech. You either protect everything, even the vile, disgusting, hateful speech you disagree with or you don't have free speech at all. You assert that as fact. But it's a philosophical or possibly semantic question, not one with an obvious and easily stated answer, i.e., can you have "some" free speech? What does "free" mean in this context?

    If there is a rule that you can talk about everything except X, then you have freedom of speech with respect to (All possible topics of speech - X). So in a significant sense it would not be correct that you "don't have free speech at all". I understand, of course, that you would argue that "free speech" means "absolutely unconstrained speech".

    Other questions:

    1. Is speech "free" if it can be established statistically that a certain percentage of its audience will be induced to impact on another's freedom simply by hearing/reading/viewing it? Why does the chain of causation stop with the making and receiving of the speech, but not the consequences of it?

    2. Is speech "not free" simply because there are criminal penalties? Or is it simply a legitimate trade off to say that if you choose to engage in the making or willing consumption of speech which the vast majority of rational people find utterly abhorrent, you also choose to take the risk that "society" will seek retribution against you, possibly in the form of violence and/or loss of liberty?

    3. Does "free" speech extend to an unwilling audience, or an audience which cannot defend itself, or both? For example, is it ok to make racially derogatory sexual remarks to an audience of small children from minority backgrounds?

    4. Should a person be held responsible for any consequences of their "free" speech? For example, should someone producing these types of images be regarded as an accessory to any eventual child abuse which takes place and towards which their images contibuted?

    I'm playing devil's advocate to a certain extent here, because I tend to err on the side of libertarianism on such issues. But free speech advocates need to learn to work on a more complex set of assumptions than that there is no consequence whatsoever to speech, however hateful or provocative, and explain how society is to deal with those consequences with respect to the maker of the original speech.

    If speech could never provoke real-world consequences, why would we speak at all?
    --
    Read Pynchon.
  29. Use explicit sarcasm tags by Mathinker · · Score: 2, Insightful

    From my experience reading Slashdot: it's always better to use explicit <sarcasm> tags; with so many readers, someone isn't going to get it if it's subtle.

    Oh, and you might need to type &lt; (or gt) to get the tag delimiters to display OK.

  30. Doesn't add up dude by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The neat trick here is the a pedophile is someone who THINKS about naked children. He has fantasies about naked children.

    A serial killer is someone who has killed multiple people.

    Do you see the logic gap?

    If you would like to compare a serial killer and a serial child rapist, be my guest. But statistically, there are probably around 1 million "exclusive" pedophiles in North America and only about 80,000 of those are in prison. That's less than 8%, which is roughly the same incarceration rate as the general population.

    Who is being executed here?

    In the context of your example.... a child rapist is physically raping a child. Whereas the people we are talking about are enjoying a simulation of such a thing.

    A serial killer is physically killing people. What's the corollary? Oh yeah... people engaging in simulated killing.

    Which... is.... clearly.... pathological.

    O wait....

    Doh!!!!!

    in reality, pedophiles are creepy and nobody likes them so it's easy to cast them as drooling sub-humans.

    But is it reality?

  31. Re:It's about psychology by sqrt(2) · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The answers to those points you raise is another type of freedom: freedom of choice--also called free will. We assume that people are in control of their own actions, and that ideas, words, and speech by itself is inherently incapable of causing harm. When someone takes that speech and acts on it, they are responsible for the action and are handled in a way that is considered appropriate by society.

    I want to live in that kind of society, not the kind that tries to protect me by limiting what I can and can't talk about because it may possibly put me in danger.

    --
    If you build it, nerds will come. Soylentnews.org
  32. Re:Pedophiles by admiralfurburger · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sorry, in the United Fundamentalist Christian States of America, it's not OK.

    Hey those are pretty cool, I'd probably get arrested & have to register as sex offender if I put one on the lawn, though...

  33. Photoshop 5 year old head onto 80 year old body? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Besides bad taste, would this be forbidden? What if someone just photoshops the ears, or hair from a 12 year old onto a 39 year old?

    The law in it's heart is good, in practice is bad. It's basically a thoughtcrime.

    Wouldn't it be better if the sickos could look at computer generated stuff, and give them a relatively safe outlet, instead of making it illegal and having them look at the real stuff since it all will be illegal?

    I guess the old Coppertone adds will be outlawed, since the cartoon doggie pulling down the 6 year olds bathing bottom will be construed as beastiality, S&M, and child porn.

  34. Re:Pedophiles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You see, that's where this law "fails". Hentai artists can just say that their characters are over 16 (age of concent here in the UK), and it magically becomes legal. Lolicon, however you might have a problem (but then I always thought the people who watch lolicon have many problemas anyway...)

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that that particular aspect of this law is unenforcable, as there is no way you can establish the age of animated characters other than by asking the artists unless they are very obviously babies\small children as with lolicon type 'art'. No because it can easily be an imaginary world, look at the Disgaea: Hour of Darkness ps2 game (great tatics game by the way)

    Its main characters look like children, id say around 8-10 years old by physical appearance. However its a fantasy world, these characters are all well over 100 years old thanks to being things like demons, angels, and such.

    This is the problem with trying to create a though crime/prosecute a victimless crime, theres WAY too many loop holes, and all your evidence is in the hands of the defendant.
  35. Re:Pedophiles by mrbluze · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Killing people because of what they think is most likely not a good idea. We killed them because they hated us because we're free. .. or something?
    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  36. Re:Pedophiles by mrbluze · · Score: 2, Insightful

    [Frowning Old Woman] Did you know that under their clothes, children are all naked? And you dare look at them! Why, everywhere we go there are naked children, thinly veiled in clothing. Any time you glance at a child, it is therefore clear that you are committing a grievous offence against nature.[/Frowning Old Woman]

    Some people watch too much commercial television, methinks. That's why the politicians get away with so much.

    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
  37. Protecting against what? by Jesus_666 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If there is no actual child involved is the law merely protecting against the possibility of offenders committing future crimes against real children?
    Could we please get rid of the notion that people require media to develop unpopular views/needs/stances? It's not like Victor Vanilla browses the internet until someone trolls him with a child porn shock image and he immediately turns into Roger Rapist who desperately needs to rape little children.

    We can't (yet?) predict whether someone will develop a paraphilia and we can't do anything about it. People just end up having different tastes for different (and often non-obvious) reasons. Whether or not poonography catering to a particular taste is available does not decide whether or not someone develops that taste; it can only be one of many influences.

    Banning CP so hard that even mentioning it carries a mandatory prison sentence will still do nothing to "solve" paedophilia. It will only further cloud up the water and force the affected further into obscurity and violence.

    What we need is an objective discussion of the issue. We need to view it as a controllable problem like alcoholism or an addiction. It's manageable, but only if we behave like mature, civilized human beings and treat issues like this with a bit of distance.

    "Clean" child porn might allow paedophiles to blow off steam instead of waiting until the pent up sexual frustration makes them abduct, rape and kill some little girl. We don't really know, which is why we need scientific evaluation. And that is not possible while idiots with shotguns/the media are running around shouting: "I NEED TO KILLS Y'ALL OR IT MIGHT BE MY DAUGHTER!!1"


    I think prohibition, the War on Drugs(TM) and similar endeavours have shown just how well complete demonization of an issue work towards safely controlling said issue.
    --
    USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  38. Re:Pedophiles by Weedlekin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The death penalty is too quick, a jail sentence has them safe from the rest of the world. It is the only case in which I would approve the use of torture - indeed, in it's most sadistic form, since the goal isn't information or confession, just suffering."

    Perhaps you should add those who delight in thinking about others being slowly tortured to death to the list of people who should be slowly tortured to death for thinking about things.

    "Obviously everyone who has modded me down thinks kid-fucking is okay."

    A more likely explanation is that they reckon that you're a hypocritical sicko who thinks that torture and death fantasies are OK because he's having them, but other sick fantasies he doesn't have must be prohibited at all costs.

    --
    I'm not going to change your sheets again, Mr. Hastings.
  39. Pencils... by Joce640k · · Score: 2, Insightful

    In theory I can now end up in prison for drawing something with a pencil and paper.

    --
    No sig today...
  40. focus by Tom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The crime isn't important - the fear it generates it. Politics are driven by fear, more specifically by the formula "look how dangerous the world is - elect us so you're at least a little bit safe". The different parties only play on different areas of fear - right-wing usually on fears of crime, foreigners, etc. and left-wing on fear of unemployment, illness, poverty, etc.

    So everyone who's posted a comment detailing how computer-generated images hurt nobody is missing the point entirely. Nobody cares who is being hurt or not. It doesn't matter. "Abused child" is merely a meme that is being exploited by power-greedy politicians. Since our emotions do not differentiate between "real" and "computer-generated", they are triggered by both, and since fear is an emotion, politicians don't see why they should make a difference, either.

    Logic doesn't apply here. Psychology does.

    --
    Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
  41. Mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    (Have i offended someone? Good!) Yes, parent is confrontational.

    But this boils down to the key point that sexual orientation isn't a choice. Lots of people don't really think things through.

    I'm happy I was born as a socially acceptable heterosexual... It must be living hell for all the people born pedophiles, knowing they will become an outcast the moment they tell anyone about their sexual orientation. Even though they have never hurt a child, and never will. I think we can safely assume there are vast numbers of pedophiles living "in the closet".
  42. Re:Here in the US, we should just stick to Obscene by Tom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's damned hard to figure out which is which, and in the mean time, people get exploited. A few years back, when we were still living in a free society, it was considered perfectly normal that the prosecution had to prove their case, even if it was hard. Even if it was "damned hard".
    --
    Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
  43. Re:Pedophiles by Tom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That's a frightening quote.

    So it's legal to fuck her, but if you take a picture of it with your mobile phone, you go behind bars for 20 years.

    Only politicians and lawyers can come up with that kind of thinking.

    --
    Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
  44. Re:Pedophiles by Mutant321 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Not to mention that there's no clear link between those who indulge in child porn, and those who commit pedophilia.

    It's just more scaremongering to drum up votes by a government that knows it's on the ropes. The unfortunate thing is, it might be working.

  45. Re:peterprior must be a paedo by fuzzix · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And leave it to /. to stick up for paedos that want to jackoff to kiddie porn cgi and like all good paedos do, move on to the real thing

    Why, this CGI is gateway porno! Just like if I even try marijuana I'll be on crack, meth and heroin the very same week!
  46. Re:Pedophiles by joss · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Being anti-pedophile doesnt give you a free pass for being a fucking moron. There's a difference between thinking about something and doing it. Actual child pornography has a direct link to child abuse [no producer without consumer] so is rightly banned. Simulated child pornography does not. Making simulated child pornography equivalent to actual child pornography means that people who currently find a harmless outlet for their sick impulses can no longer do so. They would no longer have an incentive to opt for simulated images over real images which would directly lead to more actual child abuse. So, "would someone please think of the children" goes both ways.

    --
    http://rareformnewmedia.com/
  47. Re:Pedophiles by teh+kurisu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm under no illusion I am a good person, but pedophiles take pleasure in harming - physically and emotionally - people in no position to defend themselves. Helpless children.

    Except such a thing is already illegal. The purpose of this proposed law is not to prevent such a thing. The purpose is to make it illegal to even conceive of such a thing in an art form.

    Some people take it upon themselves to grandstand about the environment, some people try to force others to quit smoking. Some people claim video games and rap are tearing down society. At least I have a firm stance on something that matters.

    People die due to climate change in the film The Day After Tomorrow. This film is not illegal, because nobody was harmed in the making of it. Artistic representations of helpless children are not actually helpless children. No children were harmed in the making of this porn.

  48. Re:Pedophiles by Weedlekin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "pedophiles take pleasure in harming - physically and emotionally - people in no position to defend themselves. Helpless children."

    The vast majority of child sexual abuse happens at home or a friend's house, and takes place regularly over a long period by people who've never seen child porn, and don't seek it out, so they won't be caught irrespective of how many laws are passed banning pictures, literature, etc. Child predators who prey on strangers are such a statistically insignificant factor in the child abuse problem as a whole that killing them all wouldn't reduce it in any noticeable way.

    "At least I have a firm stance on something that matters."

    If you actually wanted to have a real impact on child abuse instead of indulging in tabloid-inspired rants, you'd be calling for teachers and others who work with children to receive comprehensive training about how to spot the signs of abuse, and raise topic with a child without frightening or embarrassing them, or putting them in a position where they falsely accuse somebody because they want to please the adult, or are afraid of getting in trouble (those who thinks kids always tell the truth don't know very many of them!).

    "I have a firm stance, that everyone will disagree with aloud, but more than a few will silently agree with."

    It's irrelevant how many people agree with you, because it doesn't change the fact that there are hundreds of kids who get abused by nice uncle Aubrey, their slightly older cousin Henry, or their best friend's dad for every one that suffers at the hands of a wandering sexual predator. Nobody's doing anything about them, because it's a much harder problem to solve, and doesn't offer tabloids and TV companies human interest stories with sobbing parents and calls for somebody to do something that politicians can legislate about.

    --
    I'm not going to change your sheets again, Mr. Hastings.
  49. Re:Pedophiles by MBGMorden · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The point he's making is that South Park being comedy is an opinion. People die in South Park all the time. Violently. People died quite frequently in the latest Beowulf CGI film. Whether they're of "artistic value" or not is irrelevant. It's a SIMULATED situation where no one is being hurt. Same way it's ok to show people shooting horses for fun in a movie and at the end it rolls the oh so common "No animals were harmed in the making of this film". If it's make-believe, it hurts no one.

    You largely defeated your own argument: South Park IS offensive to many people. But, being sane, intelligent beings, we traditionally haven't banned media based on it being offensive, because that's subjective. Things have been baned based on whether or not they are harmful. Computer generated films of ANYTHING are not harmful, and should not be the subject of any legislation.

    --
    "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
  50. Re:Pedophiles by One+Childish+N00b · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Computer generated child porn is still child porn.

    Yes, computer generated abuse is still abuse, computer generated murder is still murder, and computer generated criminal damage is still criminal damage.

    Pretty soon the police will come and arrest everyone who has ever played Doom/Quake/GTA/everything else, throw Carmack's ass in prison for several million counts of aiding and abetting, lock the Cloverfield guys up for what they did to the Statue of Liberty and call PETA on anyone who ever let their tamagotchi die.

    Please put the kneejerk response aside and think logically before you speak. Laws (and the endorsement of them) are not to be taken lightly.

    --
    Dealing with lawyers would be a lot less tedious if they all looked like Casey Novak.
  51. Re:That's it! by sm62704 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As will this Greek statue from about 300 BC and this young boy with the small penis that Michaelangelo Bonoratti carved about a thousand years ago (it's been thirty years since my art classes and I've slept since then and can't be arsed to look it up).

    I haven't seen the 2 girls 1 cup, is that new?

    If I rewrite my journals so instead of hookers the girls are teenagers, are the UK police going to come across the pond after me? Or is it only illustrations? Text can tittilate also, you know.

    Tami (link NSFW) is only about four foot eight, if I draw her (only flat chested instead of those big fat boobies) would I be breaking the law in England? How about if I draw "Bighead", the hooker with the smallest boobs I've ever seen?

    I't nice to know that politicians in other countries are as fucktardedly brain dead as ours. There's hope for my country after all!

    --
    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
  52. Re:Pedophiles by QCompson · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Personally I would make the law that if they are found in conjunction with photographic indecent images then they should be bundled in with Level 1 images (the least severe) and if you find nothing but graphic images they should be ignored but maybe the cops should keep a regular eye on the person who has them. So you support increasing the punishment for someone convicted of child pornography offenses because they possess artistic images which depict no real children. And you want the police to monitor people who possess drawn or computer-generated fake images. You advocate increasing penalties and surveillance based on assumptions of what a persons thinks or desires, even though their direct actions may not have any connection to abuse of children in real life.

    I wonder if you'd also support the police keeping an eye on people who read literature which has child-sex themes? Perhaps monitoring those who check out "Lolita" at the library?

    I'd say you picked a fitting career for yourself. Congratulations.
  53. If I make a drawing of a building being blown up.. by Reziac · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...does that make me a terrorist?

    Do any real people get killed because I draw pictures of explosions??

    It's the exact same thing as making *fictional* kiddie porn illegal: a *representation* of something is being equated with *the real thing*.

    As I've said numerous times -- how is this not Thought Crime??

    --
    ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  54. Re:Pedophiles by Maestro4k · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that that particular aspect of this law is unenforcable, as there is no way you can establish the age of animated characters other than by asking the artists unless they are very obviously babies\small children as with lolicon type 'art'.

    Good luck with that, already it's not uncommon to see characters that are "legal lolis", women who haven't developed but are 20+. It's more common in H games but it turns up in anime some too, for example the teacher in Doki Doki School Hours. She looks like she's a grade schooler but she's in her 20s. And while it's not terribly common there are cases of this occurring in real life so it's not completely fantasy. So if the author swears the girl who looks like she's 8 years old is really 25 does that mean it's OK? Or will the law just allow the police/prosecutors/etc. to decide what age they think the girl is supposed to be and prosecute based on that? I'm guessing it'll be the latter and that path will lead to horrid abuse, people will be getting thrown in jail that never really committed a crime.

    This is about control, not protecting any children.

  55. Re:Pedophiles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    That's the most rediculous bullshit I've ever heard. That's like saying that if I download a CD illegally, then all other CDs I own legally should also count towards extra counts of copyright infringement. Why should we keep an eye on those that possess cartoon porn anyways? If that's the case then we should keep a regular eye on everyone who consumes any amount of alcohol.

  56. Re:Pedophiles by Oktober+Sunset · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If I have sex with a 16 year old in view of a CCTV camera, then does that make the camera operator a paedo?