I had no idea it was a $10b industry, and if not for HN discussion then I probably wouldn't have learned that.
EDIT: after re-reading, tptacek seems to be saying "threads questioning whether child porn is valid to be hysterical about result in useless discussion." That's probably reasonable.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6083193
I've noticed over the years that any mention of child porn on an internet forum usually leads to a few posters making arguments that take the side of people with pedophilia. First, it's not easy to overcome, like any paraphilia or fetish, and if you don't hurt children you aren't a criminal. Second, merely distributing images doesn't directly harm anyone or conclusively promote harm. Third, not having access to images might increase acting out in the real world. Fourth, animated simulations could be tolerable substitutes.
At any rate, I find pedophilia so abhorrent that these kinds of arguments never really crossed my mind before I started reading forums. Which means I don't think they're entirely useless. I could probably tolerate legal simulations.
But I've been thinking recently: if pedophilia is truly something as legitimate as homosexuality, for example. Or, more specifically, if it should be recognized as an acceptable state of man. I emigrated to United States about 12 years ago, and I've observed a marked change in my sexual preferences (from dark skinned females to lighter skinned ones; I suspect mostly due to western media's influence), so, I'm compelled to think pedophilia is definitely something that could be controlled given that one is in accommodating conditions[1].
I'm these days entertaining the idea that pedophilia is usually a result to childhood issues -- mistreatment by parents, other kids, etc. I'll see if I can find any research that corroborates this.
In any event, I think one thing is for sure: the current mob-lynching fest is the worst imaginable scenario. A more soft approach that encourages paedophiles to consider cognitive behavioral therapy instead of hiding in forced isolation would probably yield the best overall results to society.
[1]: Wikipedia has a lot to say about treating paedophila: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia#Treatment
For example, a friend of mine was molested by her uncle between an age of 7 to 11 years old. The thing that sexually arouses her the most, but also creates in her the strongest feelings of guilt and revulsion after orgasm, is the thought of children of that age being sexually abused by middle-aged men. Except that in her fantasies, the children are actually enjoying and wanting it.
Child sexual abuse can imprint the abusee for life.
This book was written by a experienced neuro-scientist/psychologist. She had treated a patient that suffered a stroke and suffered some brain damage, which apparently caused them to become a pedophile. The patient was given ADHD medication and the pedophilia had disappeared.
Debateable. It's apparently a significant burden upon those who are depicted in such images, which are traded for years after the abuse occurred.
Fourth, animated simulations could be tolerable substitutes.
I believe there is some research to this effect, but can't provide a reference offhand. This would obviously be preferable to images of real people being abused, however long ago.