[Bartweiss]

I suppose the obvious differentiator is whether content was performed to be recorded, or incidentally filmed. 'Snuff films' and other intentional-for-filming recordings are usually illegal (or at least investigated to find the producers), while recordings of general violence aren't.

It's a touchy distinction (as any intent charge is), but it makes a certain amount of sense - one major reason for criminalizing content is to reduce demand and thereby hopefully prevent further production. Recording an accident or unrelated act of violence presumably doesn't create any incentive for more violence.

[nommm-nommm]

I think the parent is asking more about possession and distribution of murder not being illegal (presumably, in some jurisdictions) whereas possession and distribution of child pornography is. Not all of the pictures/videos/etc hosted on those sites (rotten.com, bestgore.com, etc.) are accidental recordings.

>Recording an accident or unrelated act of violence presumably doesn't create any incentive for more violence.

Getting visitors for your gore site is pretty good incentive for more violence and more extreme content. Same with selling of early non-web based content like the Faces of Death series.

[gambiting]

Yes, that's what I meant. Merely possessing underage pornography is a crime that will land you in prison, even if you haven't participated in creating it in any way, but possessing a snuff film, or even a rape video where the person is not underage is not illegal. Rotten.com specifically is full of videos which are not in any way or form accidental.

[teddyh]

> possessing a snuff film […] is not illegal.

Please don’t be too concerned with people possessing things which do not exist. There are no snuff films.

[gambiting]

My definition of snuff film is for example a terrorist beheading video produced specifically to be distributed. Such things definitely exist. Is yours different?

[eon1]

What a weird attitude to take.. how could you be so absolutely certain?

[teddyh]

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/snuff.asp

[teddyh]

> Snuff films' and other intentional-for-filming recordings are usually illegal

Actually, there are no such films. I’m not saying someone could not, in theory, create one – I’m saying that, to my understanding, no such films have ever been shown to actually exist. Be careful with what you assume.

[jpatokal]

There are plenty of videos showing intentionally filmed murder: the Mexican drug cartels and various Middle Eastern terrorist/vigilante/death squad outfits are notorious for this kind of stuff. The "snuff film" hypothesis is just that it's possible to sell this kind of material for a direct profit and/or that they're "made to order" by buyers, which are highly unlikely.

[OxO4]

How about:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnepropetrovsk_maniacs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armin_Meiwes