Florida Implements Severe Laws Against Online Child Predators

Florida has the strictest laws in United States to fight online solicitation of teenagers and against possession of child pornography.

Florida is the fourth state in USA where child pornography over the Internet accounts for the largest volume of cyber crime. It primarily includes chat room, video and Webcams - all with the motive to exploit children sexually. Therefore, penalties for producing and possessing child porn materials are particularly necessary in Florida.

In Florida, penalties for sex predators became the toughest as implemented on October 1, 2007 with the effect of a new law that has extended the maximum sentences three times more to fifteen years. The law is against those who own child pornography or solicit children for sexual acts.

According to the law, offenders must register instant message and e-mail with authorities. It will also enable social networking sites like Facebook.com and MySpace.com to share that information.

The law increases the punishments for a number of online crimes. It has designed a new criminal penalty for predators who interact with minors over the Internet and then arrange for meetings with them with specific intentions of sexually harassing her or him.

Bill McCollum, Attorney General for the state of Florida, said in a statement that the state authorities know very well the dangerous activities that online child predators engage in and the amount of risks children face. Therefore, they clearly want to tell these predators that whoever is the individual and whatever he does, if the person downloads a porn picture of a child, solicits a minor, or even touches a child, they will find him, prosecute him and put him in jail where he rightfully belongs. LawFuel.com published Bill McCollum's statement on October 3, 2007.

In addition to these penalties, the law has new charges against child predators for "grooming", an act in which the predator does not reveal his true age while enticing his victim over the Internet.

Child porn pictures are beyond imagination. They depict real children being wounded and miserably exploited, said Head of the AG's cyber crime unit, Maureen Horkan. Associated Press published this in news on October 1, 2007.

Related article: Florida’s ‘CyberCrime Awareness Week’ Promotes Activities for Cyber Safety

» SPAMfighter News - 10/17/2007