2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 16 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES (§§ 16-1-1 — 16-17-10) › Chapter 12 - OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS (§§ 16-12-1 — 16-12-243) › Article 3 - OBSCENITY AND RELATED OFFENSES (§§ 16-12-80 — 16-12-110) › Part 2 - OFFENSES RELATED TO MINORS GENERALLY (§§ 16-12-100 — 16-12-100.5) › Section 16-12-100.2 - Computer or electronic pornography and child exploitation prevention

(a)
This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the "Computer or Electronic Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act of 2007."
(b)
As used in this Code section, the term:
(1)
"Child" means any person under the age of 16 years.
(2)
"Electronic device" means any device used for the purpose of communicating with a child for sexual purposes or any device used to visually depict a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct, store any image or audio of a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct, or transmit any audio or visual image of a child for sexual purposes. Such term may include, but shall not be limited to, a computer, cellular phone, thumb drive, video game system, or any other electronic device that can be used in furtherance of exploiting a child for sexual purposes;
(3)
"Identifiable child" means a person:
(A)
Who was a child at the time the visual depiction was created, adapted, or modified or whose image as a child was used in creating, adapting, or modifying the visual depiction; and
(B)
Who is recognizable as an actual person by the person's face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic, such as a unique birthmark or other recognizable feature or by electronic or scientific means as may be available.
The term shall not be construed to require proof of the actual identity of the child.
(4)
"Sadomasochistic abuse" has the same meaning as provided in Code Section
16-12-100.1
.
(5)
"Sexual conduct" has the same meaning as provided in Code Section
16-12-100.1
.
(6)
"Sexual excitement" has the same meaning as provided in Code Section
16-12-100.1
.
(7)
"Sexually explicit nudity" has the same meaning as provided in Code Section
16-12-102
.
(8)
"Visual depiction" means any image and includes undeveloped film and video tape and data stored on computer disk or by electronic means which is capable of conversion into a visual image or which has been created, adapted, or modified to show an identifiable child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
(c)
(1)
A person commits the offense of computer or electronic pornography if such person intentionally or willfully:
(A)
Compiles, enters into, or transmits by computer or other electronic device;
(B)
Makes, prints, publishes, or reproduces by other computer or other electronic device;
(C)
Causes or allows to be entered into or transmitted by computer or other electronic device; or
(D)
Buys, sells, receives, exchanges, or disseminates
any notice, statement, or advertisement, or any child's name, telephone number, place of residence, physical characteristics, or other descriptive or identifying information for the purpose of offering or soliciting sexual conduct of or with an identifiable child or the visual depiction of such conduct.
(2)
Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection, any person convicted of violating paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000.00 and by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years.
(3)
Any person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor if:
(A)
At the time of the offense, any identifiable child visually depicted was at least 14 years of age when the visual depiction was created;
(B)
The visual depiction was created with the permission of such child;
(C)
The defendant possessed the visual depiction with the permission of such child; and
(D)
The defendant was 18 years of age or younger at the time of the offense and:
(i)
The defendant did not distribute the visual depiction to another person; or
(ii)
In the court's discretion, and when the prosecuting attorney and the defendant have agreed, if the defendant's violation involved the distribution of such visual depiction to another person but such distribution was not for the purpose of:
(I)
Harassing, intimidating, or embarrassing the minor depicted; or
(II)
For any commercial purpose.
(4)
The prohibition contained in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any person who creates or possesses a visual depiction of only himself or herself.
(d)
(1)
It shall be unlawful for any person intentionally or willfully to utilize a computer wireless service or internet service, including, but not limited to, a local bulletin board service, internet chat room, email, instant messaging service, or other electronic device, to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child, another person believed by such person to be a child, any person having custody or control of a child, or another person believed by such person to have custody or control of a child to commit any illegal act by, with, or against a child as described in Code Section
16-6-2
, relating to the offense of sodomy or aggravated sodomy; Code Section
16-6-4
, relating to the offense of child molestation or aggravated child molestation; Code Section
16-6-5
, relating to the offense of enticing a child for indecent purposes; or Code Section
16-6-8
, relating to the offense of public indecency, or to engage in any conduct that by its nature is an unlawful sexual offense against a child.
(2)
Any person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years and by a fine of not more than $25,000.00; provided, however, that, if at the time of the offense the victim was at least 14 years of age and the defendant was 18 years of age or younger, then the defendant shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(e)
(1)
A person commits the offense of obscene internet contact with a child if he or she has contact with someone he or she knows to be a child or with someone he or she believes to be a child via a computer wireless service or internet service, including, but not limited to, a local bulletin board service, internet chat room, email, or instant messaging service, and the contact involves any matter containing explicit verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexually explicit nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse that is intended to arouse or satisfy the sexual desire of either the child or the person, provided that no conviction shall be had for a violation of this subsection on the unsupported testimony of a child.
(2)
Any person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years or by a fine of not more than $10,000.00; provided, however, that, if at the time of the offense the victim was at least 14 years of age and the defendant was 18 years of age or younger, then the defendant shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(f)
(1)
It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of a computer online service, internet service, local bulletin board service, or other electronic device that is in the business of providing a service that may be used to sexually exploit a child to intentionally or willfully to permit a subscriber to utilize the service to commit a violation of this Code section, knowing that such person intended to utilize such service to violate this Code section. No owner or operator of a public computer online service, internet service, local bulletin board service, or other electronic device that is in the business of providing a service that may be used to sexually exploit a child shall be held liable on account of any action taken in good faith in providing the aforementioned services.
(2)
Any person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
(g)
The sole fact that an undercover operative or law enforcement officer was involved in the detection and investigation of an offense under this Code section shall not constitute a defense to prosecution under this Code section.
(h)
A person is subject to prosecution in this state pursuant to Code Section
17-2-1
, relating to jurisdiction over crimes and persons charged with commission of crimes generally, for any conduct made unlawful by this Code section which the person engages in while:
(1)
Either within or outside of this state if, by such conduct, the person commits a violation of this Code section which involves a child who resides in this state or another person believed by such person to be a child residing in this state; or
(2)
Within this state if, by such conduct, the person commits a violation of this Code section which involves a child who resides within or outside this state or another person believed by such person to be a child residing within or outside this state.
(i)
Any violation of this Code section shall constitute a separate offense.
Amended by 2024 Ga. Laws 701,§ 3, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2016 Ga. Laws 625,§ 16, eff. 5/3/2016.
Amended by 2013 Ga. Laws 206,§ 3, eff. 7/1/2013.
Amended by 2007 Ga. Laws 202,§ 2, eff. 5/23/2007.
Amended by 2007 Ga. Laws 18,§ 16, eff. 5/11/2007.
Amended by 2003 Ga. Laws 9, § 16, eff. 5/14/2003.