Bendigo Brothers Face Charges over Facebook Page Rating Teen’s Sexual Encounters
Police have evidence to charge two Bendigo brothers who set up a Facebook page that rates teen's sexual encounters.
The actions of the brothers, age 24 and 21, violate a law against online transmission of objectionable materials and their case is a test of the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement Act 1995's teeth in cracking down on similar sites, according to legal experts.
It will be the first prosecution of such case in Victoria. A conviction from the offense means a two-year prison time and a $29,000 fine.
The site lasted three days as police contacted Facebook administrators, who shut down the account. The police were tipped off by a victim, who showed a post from the site.
Four other sites reported by police were shut down for violating the law.
"People can feel they are anonymous ... in the digital sphere and may act in a manner they would not consider appropriate in the 'real world'. They need to remember (this) can have real consequences, including criminal charges," a police spokeswoman said, according to the Herald Sun.