Should minors who post pornographic of themselves on the internet be charged for child pornography?

[ZombieHorde]

The photo does not have any other people in it and it does not show any other illegal activity.

The silly response in my poll is actually "other."

[BolivarianHero]

1. Absolutely not...

I was shocked to hear that it actually happens.

[depakid]

4. Nothing that happens in America should shock you

the country lost its collective mind some 25 years ago.

[elocs]

14. I believe this has happened where I live and it was prosecuted.

They don't treat it as a joke here. (Just because it was a "minor" does not mean the case cannot be bumped into adult court.)

[provis99]

2. What if...

the child has a pornographic website, with subscribers, of pictures of him/herself? I think a Law and Order SVU episode covered this particular quandary.

[ZombieHorde]

5. I do not believe the child should be charged, but the website needs to be deleted.

A child psychiatrist should probably be appointed to the child in cooperation with the parents.

[hlthe2b]

3. Hmm... maybe former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders was right

We need to teach masturbation (sans cameras).....


No... they should be sentenced to spend afternoons at home watching porn starring the 80 year old crowd....That'll learn em" :evilgrin:

[cliffordu]

9. I'm 58 and I just threw up in my mouth a little at that image.....

:rofl:

[hlthe2b]

12. Well.... they'll either go blind from the masturbation...

or wish they were when they have to watch the porn starring the 80 year olds! LOL :evilgrin:

[petronius]

6. Other: the minor should receive a stern spanking

There should be no photo/video record of said spanking posted on the internet....

Actually, my answer is that there should be consequences, but not charges. I haven't thought it through for more than 7 seconds, but the parallel that comes to mind is consensual sex: minors by definition are unable to consent to sex, and it seems that they should be legally viewed as lacking the capacity to produce pornography (even if the image is exactly the same as if an adult person took it). Not sure that's 100% logical, but there it is...

[ZombieHorde]

11. The situation is strange and I have not thought about it very deeply either.

I am interested in what others think about this subject.

I know I don't have all of the answers.

[rwheeler31]

7. There is no reason for children to do this. They are coxed.

Charge the kids get the truth.

[anigbrowl]

15. Get help.

[frazzled]

8. Only if they cross the international date line

[derby378]

10. In most cases, absolutely not

These kids are busy trying to sort things out, and sometimes they make really stupid decisions, but I don't think a child should be registered as a sex offender for life just because she took naughty pictures of herself on her cellphone. Hell, we've given rapists less punishment than some of us are proposing for that child, and she actually did this under her own free will.

Now, if the child in question is using these pictures or even having sex with an adult in order to blackmail said adult (the Trainspotting scenario), then that child should definitely face charges.

[Kaleva]

13. Hard to say

If another minor downloads these same pics, they could get into some serious trouble and an adult who does such surely will if caught.

Should a minor who grows pot be subject to being busted for possession?

[SoCalDem]

16. We need a new definition of "minor", to start with

a child past puberty who posts their OWN pictures needs a new category..

a 17 yr old who posts pics of a 14 yr old.. that's still 2 "minors", but an entirely different scenario

Perhaps 15 should be the "new 18", considering how much society has changed, and how eagerly many prosecutors charge young teens as adults.

Internet Safety & Predation should be a REQUIRED course for all 6th graders

[bemildred]

17. Minors have no rights.

:sarcasm:

[Skittles]

18. no because their intention is not pornography

but in this digital age, children need to be taught very young that it is not a good idea to post such stuff

[KillCapitalism]

19. I say charge them with indecent exposure at least.

Which is usually a minor misdemeanor in most cases. Child pornagraphy is a major felony & pedophiles usually go to prison for 10 years or more for that. Kids need to learn this is not age appropriate behavior. Once they're 18, they can go work in the porn industry if they want, but until then kids should be kids.