Chris Illingworth, a father of four from Maroochydore Queensland, was charged after he posted the video he found on YouTube to another forum. His home was raided on the 30th of November, and he was subsequently charged with using the internet to access and publish child-abuse material.

The video showed a member of a Russian circus family swinging his child around a room, holding him by the arms. At the end of the clip the child was laughing and smiling, just as mine did at the many years ago when I did a similar thing. The YouTube clip was reportedly captured when the clip was broadcast on US television.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/home/technology/net-video-crime-epidemic/2008/12/11/1228584982919.html

Some of you defended the Simpon's cartoon ruling below. Lets see how you go about justifying this one.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=2363

The people who passed the laws making this illegal are the same ones who want to define "unwanted material" after the mandatory internet filters are put in place. Many have vented about that here. I hope you are venting just as loudly in other places.

Thought police in action. The nanny state. What is next- a fine for smiling like you actually enjoy what you see or do! Too many farts so a gas tax? Get real.
These sad people are everywhere.
Because I enjoy my work so much I smile and laugh, great you may say to see someone happy. No, you become the greatest target by the thought police within Queensland Health because you cannot possibly be happy!

Unbelievable. The term "witch hunt" comes to mind.

I suppose if this was a cartoon he would have also been charged. I'm taking all my Flintstones DVD's to the Police station and giving myself up.

"The video showed a member of a Russian circus family swinging his child around a room, holding him by the arms. "

I did this with my children.....

whoever is enacting these laws needs to be swung around by the ankles and their head bounced off any conveniently hard object.

except that would probably qualify as cruelty to (political) animals

This crap has got to stop.

Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?