Okay maybe comments get dead from certain words in them. Let me try reposting a redacted version of Samuel_Michon's post:
I think you’re missing my point: there are millions of teens experimenting on the Internet, [...] in front of webcams. The number of people involved with what you describe is orders of magnitude smaller.
I missed your use of the word "producers" in the original post. So, yes, raw numbers... but that's only a minore part of the picture.
The kind of material you describe is very much borderline, and not really the sort of CP that the law is largely concerned with (despite the high profile examples that hit the media).
> The kind of material you describe is very much borderline
Do you think there are limits to what young people will do in front of a webcam? Or do you believe only older teens perform such acts? Which part do you think is considered ‘borderline’ by law?
> not really the sort of CP that the law is largely concerned with
I’d be very interested in a copy of the book you’ve got that mentions which laws count and which ones don’t. As you admitted to yourself, there have been plenty of cases in which teens using webcams have been convicted for producing and distributing child porn.
> Do you think there are limits to what young people will do in front of a webcam?
You misunderstand; by borderline I mean that the observed age of the participant is subjective. And it relates back to the age old issue; at 17 years 364 days it's illegal, the next it's legal.
As an expert analyst you have to give it some degree of leeway because it's very hard to judge the difference.
> Or do you believe only older teens perform such acts?
Well, yes, to a certain extent. It's getting worse because younger generations are more sexualised, but for younger teens on-webcam activities are more often related to coercion (MSN is still a favourite avenue for grooming).
> As you admitted to yourself, there have been plenty of cases in which teens using webcams have been convicted for producing and distributing child porn.
Plenty amongst.. millions (by your count). I never saw a case (out of the hundreds I worked on and many more I saw) of that sort, but when they happen they make the media (because, rightfully, it is ridiculous).
The guidance may have changed in recent months, as I am not 100% current, but not very long ago CPS feedback was that prosecutions were targeted at those seeking younger pornography, particularly of the "commercial" variety, or those actively grooming youngsters.
I think you’re missing my point: there are millions of teens experimenting on the Internet, [...] in front of webcams. The number of people involved with what you describe is orders of magnitude smaller.