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FC: Did Supreme Court really overturn "morphed" kiddie porn ban?


From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 13:32:41 -0700

Paul McMasters from the Freedom Forum notes that the Supreme Court did not strike down the whole Child Pornography Prevention Act. He is correct. The CPPA adds three new prohibitions to federal anti-child-porn law. Only two were challenged in this case, and only two were struck down.

Specifically, only the first, §2256(8)(B), and the third, §2256(8)(D), were part of the case. (A) -- the old law --and (C) were not. My reading is that both (B) and (C) cover "morphed" child porn, with (C) being more narrow since it says "identifiable minor." The majority notes in passing that (C) is "closer to" the type of law that might be constitutional.

See below for the details.

-Declan

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/2256.html
(A) the production of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct;

(B) such visual depiction is, or appears to be, of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct;

(C) such visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in
        sexually explicit conduct; or

(D) such visual depiction is advertised, promoted, presented,
described, or distributed in such a manner that conveys the impression that the material is or contains a visual depiction
        of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and




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