After reports that an explicit video of Virgin Islands high school students is making the rounds on digital platforms in the territory, police have warned residents about the steep penalties for circulating child pornography.
“We urge the public to act responsibly and refrain from sharing or possessing explicit content involving minors,” said Chief Inspector Kenrick Davis, head of the Criminal Investigations Department. “Anyone found in violation of the law will be held accountable to the fullest extent.”
The Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2014 prohibits using a computer to “distribute, transmit, disseminate, circulate, exhibit, deliver [or] procure” child abuse material, which includes child pornography, police explained.
Offenders face a maximum penalty of a $200,000 fine and seven years in prison on summary conviction in Magistrates’ Court, police said.
On indictable conviction in High Court, they face up to a $500,000 fine and 14 years in prison.
Cell phones included
An amendment to the cybercrime law passed last month in the House of Assembly expanded the definition of the term “computer” to include cellular telephones, digital video recorders, and closed-circuit television systems, Mr. Davis added.
“This means that individuals who use their mobile cellular devices to share or store child abuse material are equally liable under the law,” police stated, adding that they have a “zero-tolerance policy” for such crimes.
Delete it
Police urged anyone who receives such material to delete it without circulating it.
Meanwhile, they encouraged educators, parents and guardians to have open discussions with young people about the dangers of distributing explicit material.
For more information, call the police Family and Juvenile Unit at 368-9401.