English school bans cameras at kids' nativity play to protect them from paedophiles.

Head teacher Sue Stokes wrote to parents instructing them not to bring cameras or videos to the play after school governors said modern technology meant pictures could be flashed around the world in seconds to be used by anyone.
The school has refused to comment on the ban, ordered after a spate of investigations into paedophile activity, including the FBI's discovery of a 7,000 worldwide subscribers to a child porn site. [...]
National Association of Head Teachers secretary David Hart said it was hard to see how a nativity play could be used for pornographic purposes.
"But if the school can demonstrate it has good reasons for the ban, it would be reasonable to seek to protect the children," he said.

Frankly I think this is absolutely insane paranoia. Unless the kids are going to be going nude in this nativity play, I'll be damned if I can understand how paedophiles are going to get their jollies from it. Obviously I know that pretty much anything can be sexualised these days and may be put to pornographic uses—even things that most people wouldn't necessarily find overtly sexual—but let's be honest, if paedophiles are looking for thrills, I reckon they'd be more likely to go in search of the usual kiddie porn...

posted by James Russell | 3:20 PM