# Underage person posting self-pics a child pornographer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2008, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835 "2008-11-15T08:44:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/1 "2008-11-15T08:44:51Z")
This has probably been asked before, but I can’t search, so: If an underage person posts lewd pictures of themself on the 'net, can they be charged as a child pornographer or being in possession of child porn? And if so would they have to register as a sex offender? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/2 "2008-11-15T09:05:31Z")
[Yes to both questions.](http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/05/girl_charged_with_child_porn/) [More recent example.](http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/teen-girl-faces.html) ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/3 "2008-11-15T09:13:40Z")
Thanks for the timely links. In the second one someone is quoted as saying: > [@](#): > > The bottom line is that kids need to realize there can be unintended consequences from this type of behavior Which I suppose makes sense, but this raises a question that would be IMHO-oriented (and if mods wish to move it there so be it) - doesn’t prosecuting children as such directly violate the ostensible reason for child pornography laws in the first place, i.e. protecting the children? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/4 "2008-11-15T10:17:18Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > doesn’t prosecuting children as such directly violate the ostensible reason for child pornography laws in the first place, i.e. protecting the children? It became necessary to destroy the childhood in order to protect it. Seriously, this seems like a massive lapse of prosecutorial discretion. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/5 "2008-11-15T11:35:54Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > …Which I suppose makes sense, but this raises a question that would be IMHO-oriented (and if mods wish to move it there so be it) - doesn’t prosecuting children as such directly violate the ostensible reason for child pornography laws in the first place, i.e. protecting the children? IMHO, it deters adult child pornographers from getting children to help. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/6 "2008-11-15T13:23:29Z")
> [@cornflakes](#): > > IMHO, it deters adult child pornographers from getting children to help. Yes, so they should have some legal action taken against them to prevent that sort of case, but it seems to me that making someone register as a lifelong sex offender because of it isn’t the answer. Of course, there are plenty of other problems associated with the sex laws in the US as well, so it’s not really all that surprising. ---
**Author:** ![greatshakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@greatshakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greatshakes)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/7 "2008-11-15T14:10:28Z")
I wonder about the effect of victim impact statements in such a case. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/8 "2008-11-15T14:17:13Z")
When I hear about some of these cases I wonder if the prosecutor is trying to lob a softball to show how ridiculous the unintended consequences can be. It never seems to play out that way, though. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underage-person-posting-self-pics-a-child-pornographer/472835/9 "2008-11-15T15:22:51Z")
> [@](#): > > …This week the girl, a student at **Licking Valley** High School… :eek: