Shepherdsville, KY asked in Criminal Law and Federal Crimes for California

Q: Question about anonymous sexual interaction online.

Question my friends and I are debating about. With social media growing, many people are now looking for friendship, love lives, and sexual relation online. As the internet is anonymous, allowing you to be whoever you want to be and no one would know otherwise, the last point is brought into question as new risks are present. Many online communities promote sexual role playing forums, where people can respond to each other and play out a sexual fantasy, similar to writing a short story with other writers. With federal law (if I remember right) making any online sexual interactions with those under 18, regardless of state consent laws, illegal, how does the law play with such anonymity? A minor can claim to be an adult, and taking a picture of a parent's ID would make any real age check easily by-passable. That said, what would legally happen to adults in communities who role play with a minor who lied to them about their real age with no reliable means of age verification?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Wais Azami
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Wais Azami
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  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Garden Grove, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: Why play with fire?! Why not find other activities. Having said that, law which protect minors are usually strict liability and you can't say, "I didn't know." Some have defenses but why take the chance?

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