Child Pornography and the Internet

This chapter discusses the distribution of child pornography on the Internet. Before child pornography on the Internet was a concern, pornography itself had been a concern in the United States for some time. The actual impact of pornography on sexual behavior is debatable and has been going on for a lengthy time. The main question is the possible association between pornography and sexual violence and the development of paraphilia or deviant sexual interest. Although child pornography on the Internet has grown substantially, research into child pornography offenders and other online offenders is still developing. The chapter provides an extensive review of the legal and legislative issues about child pornography and the Internet in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It also looks at the assessment and treatment of individuals convicted for possession of child pornography.