Child pornography over the internet : a case study on Maltese internet users found in possession of child pornographic material

Abstract

Child pornography has been evident for many years before the introduction of the Internet. Technical advancement and the Internet have contributed towards making the downloading of child pornographic material easier and more efficient. This dissertation will analyse the extent to which the Internet has facilitated the process of downloading and collecting child pornographic material. Four Maltese Internet users have accepted to participate in this study giving an in-depth account of how they initiated an interest in child pornography and what influenced them to retain an interest. The pre-requisite that each participant was previously found guilt by a Maltese Court of Law of being in possession of child pornography, ensured that information was obtained from a person who, at some point in time, had a confirmed interest in the subject. Findings derived from these interviews were then compared to literature that is available on the subject. This includes reference to legal, psychological and technical aspects that are associated with the downloading of child pornography over the Internet. This dissertation will sum up by proposing some recommendations that could be implemented in an attempt to prevent persons, who although are not necessarily considered as paedophiles, will for a number of reasons download child pornographic material from the Internet.