Abstract

This article deals with the problem of on-line child pornography. In recent years this topic has been repeatedly regulated at both an international and a national level. After a general presentation of the phenomenon, the juvenile trend of «sexting» is isolated as a particular form of production and circulation of child pornography. Hence, the article proceeds to analyze the delicate theme of the definition of what child pornography is, which is tackled in combination with the intertwined topic of the different types of damage constituting the possible reason for its criminalization. Only then, does the article engage in a critical assessment of the normative choices made in this field by the Italian law which ratified the Lanzarote Convention. In particular, the article discusses the critical equalization of sexting between consenting minors with the more typical, abusive forms of child pornography.