Designate audio of child sexual abuse as illegal
The Issue
In around 2012, "Daisy," an 18-month-old baby, was tortured and sexually abused on film. Though her family ultimately rescued her, the video was planned to end in her death at the hands of her abusers.
Since then, the video of her abuse has circulated among the darkest corners of the Internet, with some people even using it as a "bait-and-switch" prank for shock value. Now about 13 years old, "Daisy" is revictimized every time this video is shared. Though the audio of "Daisy's" abuse is said to be so horrific that even the judge in a case involving the video had to watch it on mute, online "shock artists" have used this audio for their "gore mixtapes."
In the United States, owning these "mixtapes" is not illegal, as it is "only" audio and does not contain any visual depictions of "Daisy's" abuse.
According to 18 U.S. Code § 2256, '“child pornography” means any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, picture, or computer or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where—
(A)the production of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct;
(B)such visual depiction is a digital image, computer image, or computer-generated image that is, or is indistinguishable from, that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or
(C)such visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct.'
Additionally, “visual depiction” includes undeveloped film and videotape, data stored on computer disk or by electronic means which is capable of conversion into a visual image, and data which is capable of conversion into a visual image that has been transmitted by any means, whether or not stored in a permanent format.
Under this law's exclusion of audio, children like "Daisy" and countless others are legally victimized daily.
The sooner this law is changed to include audio, the fewer children are LEGALLY allowed to be revictimized. Please sign and share this petition now.
1,408
The Issue
In around 2012, "Daisy," an 18-month-old baby, was tortured and sexually abused on film. Though her family ultimately rescued her, the video was planned to end in her death at the hands of her abusers.
Since then, the video of her abuse has circulated among the darkest corners of the Internet, with some people even using it as a "bait-and-switch" prank for shock value. Now about 13 years old, "Daisy" is revictimized every time this video is shared. Though the audio of "Daisy's" abuse is said to be so horrific that even the judge in a case involving the video had to watch it on mute, online "shock artists" have used this audio for their "gore mixtapes."
In the United States, owning these "mixtapes" is not illegal, as it is "only" audio and does not contain any visual depictions of "Daisy's" abuse.
According to 18 U.S. Code § 2256, '“child pornography” means any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, picture, or computer or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where—
(A)the production of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct;
(B)such visual depiction is a digital image, computer image, or computer-generated image that is, or is indistinguishable from, that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or
(C)such visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct.'
Additionally, “visual depiction” includes undeveloped film and videotape, data stored on computer disk or by electronic means which is capable of conversion into a visual image, and data which is capable of conversion into a visual image that has been transmitted by any means, whether or not stored in a permanent format.
Under this law's exclusion of audio, children like "Daisy" and countless others are legally victimized daily.
The sooner this law is changed to include audio, the fewer children are LEGALLY allowed to be revictimized. Please sign and share this petition now.
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Petition created on October 28, 2023