Sex, Kids, and Crime in Cyberspace: Some Reflections on Crossing Boundaries

Date

2013

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Abstract

Description

This contribution sketches some contours of the landscape of sex, minors, and crime in cyberspace, illustrated by a varied casuistry of case-law emerging in the Netherlands. It discusses exposure to indecency, self-representation, viewing child porn online, grooming, and webcam sex abuse. It also highlights four types of boundaries - of nations, age, consent, and decency - in this landscape, that pose challenges to regulators, because in cyberspace, borders have a tendency to shift and blur. This implies that a debate is needed on the regulatory tilt of cybersex policy, which needs to take into account the co-evolution of technology, society, and regulation, and the need for empirical research and theoretical reflection.

Keywords

Child welfare, Exploitation -- Internet, Exploitation -- child pornography, Internet, Internet -- safety, Pornography -- Internet

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