I Downloaded Child Porn?

       The issue regarding child pornography online and being arrested for possessing it is extremely controversial.  Although there is nothing controversial about child porn being illegal I just feel that since it is so easily attainable that the consequences should be reviewed.  In a blog post I just read from garyng44 he states that he read an article where a university student from LSU was charged with 12 counts of possessing child pornography.  Maybe this student is intrigued by child pornography, where in this case he should be arrested, or maybe he accidentally downloaded it.  I remember the introduction of this class warned us that we could be arrested if we download child pornography and I can definitely see this happening involuntarily.  These pornographic sites often cater to all types of fetishes and if one does not read the titles or skims through them very quickly, then they may come across and download a child pornography by mistake.

            This is definitely a federal offense, but let’s put this into perspective.  If I was online and wanted to download pornography for my personal pleasure and I accidentally downloaded a child pornography I could be arrested and publicly humiliated.  More times than none these child pornographies are found on a computer when the “Feds” confiscate it, but I can see how one could forget to delete it.  I have downloaded so many things in the past for school or from what friends have sent me via email and have totally forgotten to delete them.  I know one should not forget to delete child pornography on their PC, but it sometimes slips one’s mind and some people may feel it’s not a big deal or are not aware of the crime.  I don’t know much about computers, but even after the pornography was deleted maybe there is a way to detect that it was downloaded. 

            I in no way feel that the downloading of child pornography is acceptable, but some people do make honest mistakes and should not have to go through the drama and humiliation that it is attached to.  I honestly have no idea of how the government could produce a system where one would be able to know if it were by accident or on purpose, but it just does not seem 100% fair.  On the other hand if one is going to download porn they should be wise enough to know what is what and be cautious for the government watches our every move.

            This blog also intrigued me for is made me realize that the government is more a part of our private lives than I realized.  They have people watching everything we download from family pictures to S&M pornography.  I frankly think that it is not the government’s business what I download or what I enjoy sexually.  I know that to some extent the government is trying to protect the country is some manipulative way, but it should be made clearly aware that there are people out there sharing our personal lives over the internet.