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Hundreds of Danish youths charged after sharing teen-sex videos online

Hundreds of children and young people in Denmark are facing criminal charges after they shared vi...
Newstalk
Newstalk

13.43 16 Jan 2018


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Hundreds of Danish youths char...

Hundreds of Danish youths charged after sharing teen-sex videos online

Newstalk
Newstalk

13.43 16 Jan 2018


Share this article


Hundreds of children and young people in Denmark are facing criminal charges after they shared video clips of two teenagers having sex online.

The clips involve two people who were 15-years-old at the time.

Danish police have warned sharing the video may constitute the distribution of child pornography.

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The age of consent is 15 in Denmark; however police have warned that sharing the video could still amount to the distribution of child pornography.

Police said a total of 1,004 people, mostly children and young people, have been charged for sharing the clips.

The case involves around 800 males and 200 females - most between the ages of 15 and 20.

If found guilty they could face a fine, a 20-day suspended sentence and a 10-year criminal record.

"It is a very big and complex matter that has taken a long time to investigate - not least because of the large number of [people] charged,” said Police Inspector Lau Thygesen from the North Zealand Police.

He said police are taking the case “very seriously” as it has “major implications” for the couple involved.

The majority of the people charged shared the video clips a couple of times – however others are believed to have done so “hundreds of times.”

"It is our opinion that young people know that it can have major consequences for the victim to share that kind of material,” said police commissioner Flemming Kjærside from the Danish Cyber Crime Centre.

“But they may not know that it is also punishable and that they may be sentenced to the distribution of child pornography.”

He said the ten year criminal record will prevent those convicted from working with young children or becoming a football coach – and could cause problems with entering the US.

“It is serious and it has serious consequences far into the future,” he said.

The clips were shared through Facebook’s Messenger platform, and came to light after the social media platform informed US authorities.

The tip-off was then passed on to Danish authorities through Interpol.


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