This article from the Fairfax Times (http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/news/2008/feb/26/child-porn-found-20000-computers-virginia/) is a bit frightening for several reasons. The first is the fact that there are probably at least 20,000 pedophiles in Virginia who may at some point act on their sick urges (when my children were younger, I always thought I'd kill any adult who ever molested my kids). The second is that given the lawless regime of the Chimperator when it comes to spying on citizens, who is to say that evidence could not be planted on a computer of those deemed "enemies." If the authorities can secretly download information from a computer, it would seem just as easy to place illegal materials on one. Perhaps Virginia's legislators should spend less time pushing an anti-gay agenda and more time going after child molesters. On a different note, however, I'd love to know how many of these computers belong to straight married men who go to anti-gay churches and/or who are Republicans and/or are Baptist clergymen. Here are some highlights:
Using a national online system that enables them to remotely download incriminating images directly from a suspect's computer, members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force have identified nearly 20,000 computer hard drives in Virginia that they say contain hardcore child pornography. Virginia Del. Brian Moran (D-Alexandria) reported last week that the Town of Herndon ranked number four in overall Virginia localities behind only Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Richmond in the number of computers known to possess child pornography statewide.
Jesse Ferguson, legislative aide for Moran, said that by using the nationwide software system, child pornography can easily be downloaded from the computer hard drives of individuals who utilize peer-to-peer file-sharing networks such as Napster or Limewire. Investigators initiate downloads and then identify Internet protocol (IP) addresses. Law enforcement officials can then obtain physical addresses from Internet service providers.
When all the evidence has been collected and reviewed, and a physical address has been identified, local authorities can then decide to apply for a search warrant to search the property in question and seize the offending computer. "Approximately 30 percent of people who possess child pornography also victimize children," said Moran's office, citing a statistic from the U.S. Department of Justice.
2 comments:
Another factor to consider:
If they're looking for specific images, could it also mean they were the ones who posted them to the internet?
At first I was alarmed that there were 20,000 search warrants issued to find these images. Then I was concerned that computers were searched without warrants. Then the article explains that these perverts are publicly sharing these images. They should all be punished to the fullest extent of the law if they knowingly downloaded and shared child pornography. However, somebody does have to define that. Young adults can be made to appear even younger than they are through many means including digital alteration. And I do believe there is such a thing a "innocent" nudity with children that is not prurient in nature. Often, those that cast these dragnets have a personal cause with these issues and need to be monitored. We have to be careful we don't punish parents with pictures of their kids in the bathtub on their mySpace page.
-Russ in Minnesota
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