Legal status of cartoons

The legal status of cartoons, particularly the legal status of cartoon pornography depicting minors is a unique subject which interacts with internet pornography, simulated pornography, obscenity laws, and specific laws against child pornography.

Some analysts have argued whether such cartoon depiction is a "victimless crime".[1][2][3] Laws have been enacted to criminalize "obscene images of children, no matter how they are made," for inciting abuse. An argument is the claim that obscene fictional images portray children as sex objects, thereby contributing to child sexual abuse. This argument has been disputed by the claim that there is no scientific basis for that connection,[4] and that restricting sexual expression in drawings or animated games and videos might actually increase the rate of sexual crime by eliminating an outlet for desires that could motivate crime.[5][6] This is exemplified in a case involving a man, from Virginia who, while arrested after viewing lolicon at a public library computer, asserted that he had quit collecting real child pornography and switched to lolicon.[7]

Currently, countries that have made it illegal to possess (or create/distribute) sexual images of fictional characters who are described as or appear to be under eighteen years old include Canada, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines.[8][9] At the upper edge, this encapsulates pornographic depictions of even seventeen-year olds together, or adults (such as small-breasted women) where the predominant impression conveyed is of a person under the age of 18.

Countries
Here are some countries for which information pertaining to these laws exists:
 * 1) Australia
 * 2) Canada
 * 3) Italy
 * 4) Japan
 * 5) Netherlands
 * 6) New Zealand
 * 7) Norway
 * 8) South Africa
 * 9) Sweden
 * 10) United Kingdom
 * 11) United States