Police departments and local news stations across the nation are reporting that a child pornography video depicting a young girl and adult man began spreading to thousands of Facebook messenger inboxes late last week, BuzzFeed reports. The disturbing pornography’s wide circulation on the platform was propelled by a message accompanying the video entreating people to forward it to others as part of a campaign to find the perpetrator and his victim. Full Article
Related:
In Denmark, Viral Video Sparks Wave Of Child Pornography Prosecutions
Put all those people on the registry right away! 😂😂
The have all just committed a sex crimes against a child willfully without any remorse or empathy in the process of trying to find someone committing an offense against a child.
Kick them all off facebook and ruin their lives as well!
Give them the maximum federal term and lifetime registration too!
But really. If no one gets charged in this for possession and distribution of child pornography then that is complete hypocrisy. Sure they did it thinking they were doing good but they broke the law doing it.
They shouldn’t be treated any different than someone else who willfully possessed and distributed CP.
Maybe if all these people were suddenly charged for this people would realize the flaw of the registry and that ignorance of something should still be a plausible defense in certain circumstances.
Charge them ALL – every last one – with felony viewing and or distributing child pornography!!!
I’m serious. Will they just give them all “a pass”? (They would charge any of us with several felony charges for such activity!) 😡
Let “the good and righteous people” see what it’s like in our world!! 😡
Personally, I hope everyone who shared that video will be charged and convicted and placed on the registry. The people who spread this video did so with the “intent” to catch the guy, but it’s still distribution of child pornography. My guess, many of these are the same people who don’t think of the registry as punishment, and are quick to want us either locked up for life or dead. I want more and more of those people on the registry for what they deem as innocent or well meaning acts. That way, the registry becomes even more bloated and more obvious that it doesn’t do anyone any good!
I understand the rush for vengeance on a society that has dammed us all.
But to be honest, I couldn’t wish this life on my own worst enemy.
Hope it provokes thought tho.
How easy it is to lose ones life to this mess.
God save us all.
Yes, I do not believe there is any good faith clauses in the statutes for distributing child porn. List em up and hang em by the balls (each and everyone of them) like the rest of us would get. Thousands, LMFAO. Now what are you going to do Mr or Mrs DA. You know I feel for kids that are trafficked or prepubescent kids but outlawing pics and videos isn’t they way to address the issue. Locking people up for decades (or at all) for viewing anything is just wrong man. I actually think it isn’t constitutional either. How come they couldn’t outlaw the Anarchist cookbook, or the terrorist handbook, and tons other (in the eyes of a regular Joe or the state) harmful material. This stuff is still all over the net.
I don’t wish prosecution of these people for CP possession or distribution, nor do I think they should have to register as sex offenders. But I do wonder if the states that these people are citizens of will prosecute them. I can’t see why they wouldn’t. The state normally prosecutes anyone they can, even when it makes no sense, such as in teen sexting cases where the perpetrator could be his/her own victim and abuser. Why should this be any different?
So are the prosecuting District Attorney’s simply going to cry, Oh woe is me! There’s too many of them. We can’t pursue charges.” Is that the way Justice works …. just because the caseload would be too heavy, they decided not to pursue anything? Is that Justice?
(But of course, John Q Public would be absolutely fine with that, because these righteous, upstanding citizens were just trying to do something good, their intentions were pure and honest.😝)
While I also wouldn’t wish the registry on anyone, I still think all involved should be prosecuted as a matter of due process. Intent and circumstances are irrelevant, as we continually hear. Facebook should also be held criminally liable.
Perfect timing! This was on NPR’s Morning Edition news this morning. All the teens are being prosecuted.
https://www.npr.org/2018/02/08/584181845/in-denmark-viral-video-sparks-wave-of-child-pornography-prosecutions
Interesting story. Can the American local and federal DAs not prosecute if Denmark is doing this given the online content and circumstances regardless of the non-criminal intent? (Especially in SC where the local and federal DAs should be salivating over the opportunity to prosecute.) This went countrywide (maybe even internationally)! Crossed state lines which is federal charges by itself. Prosecutors cannot go soft on this. It would show the American DAs being soft on this crime then if they want to appear tough on crime come elections and future political life regardless of the number involved and their status. How many high profile, high society, or prominent families would be caught up in this and thus raising the topic to greater discussion? I don’t know how you could plead this down to a lesser charge given the seriousness and distance of it despite the non-criminal Good Samaritan intent with no sexual gratification desired. It would undermine the entire topic. This could make Chris Smith’s year.
It certainly would grab headlines, attention and possible thinking of those who could be convicted, forced to register, and understand the plight of the RC and registry. It could be what the anti-registry movement needs because even if those registered due to it would be removed after a certain time, it would never go away due to the lifelong nature of the internet.
While I don’t wish the RC situation on anyone and wish DAs would show more latitude in life, you cannot pick and choose those adults who you prosecute here with the current legal environment. If the DAs did, then it could then be biased towards certain adults who are over 18 with adults brains which are fully developed unlike a minor who is 17 years 364 days old and cannot make correct decisions to save the own skin while forwarding this video.
Regardless of the non-criminal good Samaritan intentions and no sexual gratification desired, they broke the law.
(Side note – FB would lose a lot of users here with their current policy which may get them to rethink their user policies.
Additionally, just like the marijuana argument with the many high profile people pushing to legalize it, high profile people involved here on registry considerations may be analogous to getting reform done.
Conversely, the politician will use the “saves one child” discussion point as well while others will use no one was physically harmed here during sharing which has been countered daily by those here and in the legal arena. I don’t think the law wants to open up the pandora’s box of sharing videos like this to the caveat “was only trying to help” when LE wants to be the helpers/solvers.)
This will be the treated the same as when it was discovered that CP was on many of the computers for high level people at the pentagon. Remember what happened to all of them? Of course you don’t because it disappeared form the news and was swept under the rug.
Begin federal investigations for every person who received (streaming might have created a temporary file locally which is enough for a receipt charge), possessed (downloading and deleting can still result in a file being recovered and be sufficient for a possession charge), and distributed the video. Numerous enhancements for the individual charges might apply forcing the minimum sentencing guidelines range way higher. Receipt alone carries a five year mandatory minimum sentence and distribution has at least a five year mandatory minimum sentence as well without any enhancements. While I do not wish legal entanglements on anyone the fact remains everyone in that chain did commit at least one federal felony. Rarely do the feds care if someone had no ill intention.
This November it will be 6 years since I was released from my 90 day sentence for possession of child pornography. It was a first offense and was a wobbler in california. My question is should I try this year to get the conviction reduced or should I wait another year so that I will be 7 years since conviction. I was given 3 years probation, no issues during probation again first offense.
thank you
So all the prosecutors in this country simply decided not to pursue any charges against anyone who was distributing this child pornography video, whether knowingly or unwittingly? What the Hell is that about? Thousands might have distributed this and prosecutors just give them all a free pass?? (Whereas, if it was someone on the registry, he would get 20 to 30 years. WTF! 😡)