Ethics is one of the fundamental aspects in the society, and there are numerous calls for people to adhere to the ethical requirements. The discussion on ethics leads to the questions of morals where there is the need to establish the correlation between the morals and ethics. Ethics can be applied in different cases to determine whether the decision-making process meets the threshold set by the concepts and principles of ethics. In this case, we shall apply the element of ethics in discussing the provided case study of virtual pornography.
Case
Virtual child pornography is identified as the graphical representations of computer-generated images of child-adult or child to child sexual activity. In the case of virtual child porn, the characters involved in the creation of the film are not real, but they are an image that has been created using computer software and mimic children(Ruggiero 173). The US Supreme Court overturned the previous ban levied on virtual child porn which allows the circulation and viewing of such images with a restriction that prohibits the use of pictures of actual children.
Moral and Ethical Issues
Pornography that uses children or images of actual children is outright immoral, and the law prohibits the action. However, there is the question of virtual child pornography which is argued not to cause any harm since the characters are not real. Despite this understanding, it is important to understanding the impression the use of virtual images of children in pornographic films. Child protection groups argue that the use of children whether real or virtual breaks the moral code. The groups say that despite the virtual nature of the images in computer-generated child porn, the primary use of kids creates a gateway to the toleration of child pornography which they argue should not be allowed at any point. Additionally, by allowing the use of children images, the law acts as a double standard since it shows that sexual activities that involve children should be allowed to a certain degree. Over the years, law enforcement agencies have used virtual child porn (VCP) to track and arrest offenders, but the moral issue associated with the use of VCP indicates that there is more harm than good that emanates from this action. The law should not allow images of children based on the potential risk associated with children. Therefore, enabling virtual child porn fails to meet the moral threshold since the objectification of children through virtual porn films places them at risk and does not cater for their welfare, innocence, and image in the society.
The principle of utility associated with ethics focuses on the determination of a deed based on the end result. In this understanding, an action is analyzed whether it meets the ethical threshold if it causes happiness or pain. Based on the presented definition, virtual child porn tends to cause a certain level of pain since the use of computer-generated images of children engaging in sexual activity is inconsiderate and wrong. Utilitarianism is based on the analysis of the action based on causing the greater good in the society as a whole. When law enforcement uses VCP as a tool in the tracking and subsequent arrest of offenders, the action is seen as causing a greater good because it eradicates the society some characters who pose a threat. On a different angle, the virtual world is expansive, and law enforcement is not in a position to track all the offenders. Therefore, the question of utility arises where we analyze the number of people who find pleasure in VCP and engage in pedophilic actions versus those who are apprehended. Here, without proper distinction, VCP may fail to meet the utility standards.
Duty implies that a person is expected to act in a particular manner. Applying this concept to VCP, we can establish that it is the duty of all people to act in an upright way where they should not engage in activities that can otherwise cause harm to others. Therefore, the duty to respect the innocence of children and safeguard their interests mandates the upholding of the law that prohibits virtual and real child pornography. Based on this understanding, any form of child pornography exposes children to the risks of becoming victims of sexual exploitation. Rights are based on the presentation that law or morals guarantee them. A person has the right to their sexual preference as long as they operate within the bounds of the law. Based on the provision of the ruling by the Supreme Court, a person has the right of engaging in virtual child porn as long as it does not involve actual children. Regarding VCP, duty, and rights of a person determines their ability to resist or engage in the activity based on the moral and legal requirements.
Work Cited
Ruggiero, Vincent. Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues. 9th ed., 2015.
