----- Original Message ----- From: "Jens Bladt"
Subject: RE: Pornography Issues in Photo Labs. Was: Texas Photo Issues
As fa as I'm concerned people can photograph pretty mucch what ever they want. I guess labs can't legally make Kiddy Porn prints, though.
The problem isn't in not producing it, the problem is in identifying it so as not to produce it. I had to reject several images today, depicting a young lady, perhaps 6 to 8 years of age because she was posed topless. The problem with doing this sort of thing is that I, as the lab operator, am forced to make moral judgements that I do not think I should be forced to make, and then explain to the customer why I didn't print their pictures. I am sure the mid 50's grandmother who picks up this film will be really happy to know that she may be producing child pornography, but that is the position the law puts me photo labs and customers in. We have to take an embarassingly puritanical position to avoid prosecution for distributing kiddy porn, but the other side of the coin is that in protecting ourselves against a criminal trial, we are opening the door to a civil trial in the event the customer decides his or her reputation has been besmirched by our reason for refusal to print certain pictures.
William Robb
