computer generated abuse banned.

[theBOD]

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7422595.stm

what do people think about this? for me it is a step too far. of course no one wants their child abuse but there is actually no child being abused here if it is simply a drawing or computer generated image. the fictional depiction of other crimes is still legal and in my mind this just seems to be a bit too much like the thought police.

seems like a step in the right direction to me, and about time.

I'm with you there - have been listening to idiots on Jeremy Vine trotting out the same old hysteria arguments, but I don't want the government legislating what I can and can't fantasise about. The whole point of banning images of child abuse is that someone has to be abused to make the photo. Take that element out and people should be free to draw what they like.

I don't want to look at it, of course, and don't want to see it on sale in my local newsagents.

Besides, it's only one short step from there to saying that we should lock up people who have odd sexual predilections, even if they've never acted on them, for the good of society.

Should be a good old debate, this one, though.

I think it's a good idea too. Besides - how can you know that a computer generated image hasn't been 'modelled' in real life? If computer generated images of child abuse exist and are perceived to be ok 'because they don't hurt anyone' then it will just make the step to looking at real images of child abuse easier.

Yes, I'm going to get my hard hat out and sit and watch this!

On an entirely visceral basis, I think it's a good idea and think it makes sense. On a rational basis though, the open question, I guess, is to the extent that legitimising these type of images by not criminalising them suggests any tacit acceptance of child abuse. There are many thing that we abhor in reality, for example, murder that we are happy to see rendered in writing or art form and no-one would suggest that murder is acceptable. On the other hand, are we comfortable with the concept that absolutely any kind of images are okay simply because they're fictional? Would you be okay, for example, with realistic images of a child being tortured?

I think it's s good idea.

some things need banning

I thought it was banned/illegal?
If not, about time. But I am not one for violent crime depiction in movies / shows either tbh

a very good idea.i accept these things are going on in the heads of some warped individuals but it doesnt make it ok for them to be drawn/produced.

sorry, but anyone who wants to watch even computer generated images of child abuse is sick, IMO.

agree with lilo

Totally agree that the people who want to look at these are sick - but that doesn't mean you can make them into criminals when they haven't actually harmed anyone. That's like locking people up for murder because they said 'I want to kill so and so'.

Some people are aroused by images of people being murdered. And yet we allow images of death and murder in all sort of forms. Snuff movies, however, are not allowed, because someone actually dies in them.

And where does this stop? An artist who does a sketch of his naked infant? Does he get sent to prison?

It's like 1984.