For over 40 years, the term moral panic and concept to which it is adjoined have been used throughout the socio-criminological literature as a means of describing collective overreactions to perceived wrongs. Since the 1980s, the concept has also been criticized for its inability to adapt to differing moral viewpoints and research paradigms. To address these criticisms and question the significance of moral panic’s continued use, this paper works to redefine the concept from its theoretical foundation to practical employment. A contextual-constructionist/post-positivist approach is, first, used to weigh claims of fact against an imperfect understanding of ‘the truth’. Moral panic is then defined as a means of describing collective, corrective-intended behaviour based on an irrational belief that exaggerates the threat posed by a social problem. To test and further nuance this definition, the Parliament of Canada’s decision to pass four bills that introduced or amended section 172.1 (luring a child) of the Criminal Code of Canada is deconstructed. Using a Historical Dialectic-Relational Approach to analyze the transcripts of House of Commons and Senate debates and committee meetings related to bills C-15A, C-277, C-2, and C-10, the concept of moral panic is found to be an appropriate means of describing certain forms of collective behaviour. An outline of how members of parliament spoke, during the legislative process, of the media, expert witnesses, Internet child lurers, and victims of child sexual abuse provides additional context. The paper concludes by arguing that the moral panic concept can be mobilized in a way that is theoretically justifiable, adaptable to differing moral viewpoints, and of practical use.

Due to the popularization of Internet technologies in the last two decades, public attention has been directed to issues surrounding online sexual exploitation of minors in Canadian Newspapers. Specifically, newspaper articles have assisted in shaping public perceptions of the nature and scope of Internet child luring. A mixed quantitative/qualitative content analysis methodology is applied to the study’s four Canadian-based newspapers to examine how Internet child luring is constructed between the 1st of January, 2002 and December 31st, 2010. The study highlights the possible influences Canadian print media might have on the perceptions of parents and legal guardians regarding crime prevention and the dangers associated with Internet use by minors. Canadian print media has been instrumental in constructing the perception of Internet technology and its use by minors as harmful, intrusive, and unavoidable while designating parents and legal guardians as primary watchdogs of their children’s online behaviours. / UOIT

Depuis plusieurs années, les perceptions et attitudes punitives du public concernant les crimes intéressent les chercheurs. Aujourd’hui, bien que la société profite des avantages de la technologie, elle doit aussi composer avec ses risques. Parmi ceux-ci, la cyberdélinquance sexuelle émerge comme un domaine d’étude complexe et encore largement sous-exploré. Les politiques gouvernementales étant souvent influencées par les réactions du public plutôt que des preuves empiriques, il est important d’étudier la façon dont la population générale perçoit et réagit à ce phénomène afin d’en approfondir la compréhension et contribuer à des réponses judiciaires et éducatives plus justes et efficaces. À ce jour, seule une étude a porté son attention sur les facteurs influençant les perceptions et attitudes face aux sollicitations sexuelles en ligne des mineurs. Toutefois, celle-ci manque à tenir compte de l’influence des caractéristiques spécifiques du délit et se limite à un échantillon d’étudiants universitaires. Objectifs. Le principal objectif de ce mémoire est de comprendre la manière dont les caractéristiques individuelles et les caractéristiques du délit influencent les attitudes punitives des citoyens dans les cas de leurre en ligne. Méthode. Les données ont été collectées auprès de 198 citoyens francophones. Les participants ont répondu à un questionnaire évaluant leurs perceptions, croyances et attitudes sur le crime et les délits sexuels. Un design factoriel 2x3 a été utilisé afin d’examiner la façon dont l’âge et le type d’interaction sexuelle influent sur la sévérité des répondants. Chaque participant a été assigné aléatoirement à une vignette et invité à attribuer une peine d’incarcération au contrevenant dépeint dans le scénario, mais aussi indiquer la durée de celle-ci. Résultats. Les résultats montrent que la majorité des participants donnent une peine d’emprisonnement à l’auteur de leurre, bien que les taux d’incarcération varient selon la nature des sollicitations sexuelles. L’analyse de régression logistique binomiale suggère que les caractéristiques des répondants influencent peu les attitudes punitives. En revanche, le type d’interaction sexuelle apparaît comme le meilleur prédicteur de cesdites attitudes. Discussion. Les résultats soutiennent la nécessité d’adopter une approche nuancée et exhaustive dans l’étude des attitudes sociales en raison de leur complexité. Ils mettent en évidence l’importance de fournir des informations spécifiques au public pour obtenir une compréhension plus précise de ces attitudes. Les futures recherches devraient ainsi encourager les politiques publiques et les pratiques judiciaires à se baser sur des preuves empiriques afin de mieux répondre aux enjeux sociétaux liés à ce phénomène. Ces recherches doivent également continuer à approfondir cette problématique pour orienter les interventions visant à sensibiliser la population aux réels dangers du leurre par voie informatique et à promouvoir des pratiques en lignes plus sécuritaires. / For several years, researchers have been interested in public perceptions and punitive attitudes toward crimes. Today, although society benefits from technological advancements, it also faces their risks. Among these, cybersexual crimes emerge as a complex and still substantially underexplored field of study. Given that government policies are often influenced by public reactions rather than empirical evidence, it is important to study how the general population perceives and reacts to this phenomenon to deepen its understanding and contribute to more just and effective judicial and educational responses. To date, only one study has focused on the factors influencing perceptions and attitudes toward online sexual solicitations of minors. However, this study fails to consider the influence of the specific characteristics of the crime and is limited to a sample of university students. Objectives. The main objective of this thesis is to understand how individual characteristics and the details of the offence affect citizens’ attitudes in cases of online luring. Method. Data were collected from 198 French-speaking citizens. Participants responded to a questionnaire assessing their perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes about crime and sexual offences. A 2x3 factorial design was used to examine how age and the type of sexual interaction influence respondents' punitiveness. Each participant was randomly assigned to a vignette and asked to give a prison sentence to the offender depicted in the scenario, as well as its duration. Results. Results show that most participants assign a prison sentence to the online sex solicitor, although incarceration rates vary depending on the nature of sexual solicitations. The binomial logistic regression analysis suggests that respondents’ characteristics have little influence on punitive attitudes. In contrast, the type of sexual interaction appears to be the best predictor of these attitudes. Discussion. The results support the need to adopt a nuanced and comprehensive approach in the study of social and attitudes due to their complexity. They highlight the importance of providing specific information to the public for a more precise understanding of these attitudes. Future research should encourage public policies and judicial practices to be based on empirical evidence to better address the societal challenges related to this phenomenon. Such research should also continue to delve into this issue to guide interventions aimed at raising public awareness of the real dangers of online luring and promoting safer online practices.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-09-19T12:30:06Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Nathalia Ximenes Gonçalves - 2017.pdf: 11960098 bytes, checksum: a70e468c7f0aec1f54681daa44779319 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-09-19T12:30:25Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Nathalia Ximenes Gonçalves - 2017.pdf: 11960098 bytes, checksum: a70e468c7f0aec1f54681daa44779319 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-19T12:30:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Nathalia Ximenes Gonçalves - 2017.pdf: 11960098 bytes, checksum: a70e468c7f0aec1f54681daa44779319 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The sensory drive theory predicts that signals, sensory systems, and signaling behavior should coevolve. Variation in the sensory systems of prey and predators may explain the diversity of color signals, such as color polymorphism. The spider Gasteracantha cancriformis (Araneidae) possesses several conspicuous color morphs. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the color polymorphism of G. cancriformis may be maintained by pressure from multiple signal receivers, such as prey and predators with distinct color vision systems. In orb-web spiders, the prey attraction hypothesis states that conspicuous colors are prey lures that increase spider foraging success via flower mimicry. However, in highly defended species, conspicuous colors could also be a warning signal to predators. We used color vision modelling to estimate chromatic and achromatic contrast of G. cancriformis morphs as perceived by potential prey and predator taxa. To assess the role of prey, we conducted a prey capture experiment in the field, in which webs were assigned to four treatments: yellow, red, and black models, or no model. For each treatment, we counted the number of prey trapped on the webs and the calculated webs damaged area. To assess the role of predators on the evolution of conspicuous color patterns and polymorphism, we conducted a second field experiment, allocating yellow, red and black spider models in nylon threads along the vegetation, and observed the number of attack markings for each of them. Our results revealed that individual prey and predator taxa perceive the conspicuousness of morphs differently. Therefore, the multiple prey and multiple predator hypotheses may explain the evolution of color polymorphism in G. cancriformis. The results of prey capture experiment did not corroborate the prey attraction hypothesis nor the prey specific adaptation of color polymorphism. On the predation experiment, we found that black spider models presented more markings, which indicates that yellow and red models were less preferred, possibly suggesting that spider coloration may play a role on predator avoidance. Our results, however, do not corroborate the hypothesis that multiple predators influence polymorphism evolution. Color polymorphism in this species is possibly a multi-functional attribute, where some morphs benefits from aposematism, whereas others may alternative fitness advantages. Non-adaptive explanation should also be considered in future experiments of the evolution and maintenance of color polymorphisms. / A teoria de “sensory drive” prediz que sinais, sistemas sensoriais e comportamentos de sinalização devem coevoluir. Variação no sistema sensorial de presas ou predadores pode explicar a diversidade de colorações existentes e polimorfismos de cores. A aranha de teia orbicular Gasteracantha cancriformis apresenta padrões de coloração conspícuos e polimorfismo de cor. A evolução e manutenção de tal variação cromática pode ser influenciada por presas e predadorescom sistemas visuais diferentes, já que um mesmo morfo é percebido distintamente por potenciais presas e predadores. A coloração conspícua, entretanto, não se assemelha à coloração de flores. Tampouco influencia na captura de presas, visto que modelos dessa aranhas apresentaram números similares de presas nas teias. Portanto, ao contrário de outras aranhas de teia orbicular, para as quais a coloração chamativa é atribuída ao mimetismo floral, para G. cancriformis, esta hipótese não é corroborada. Os morfos amarelo e vermelho apresentam coloração típica de organismos aposemáticos e são conspícuos para a visão de uma ave. O morfo vermelho apesar de não ser conspícuo na visão de vespas, ainda assim poderia estar protegido de predação por camuflagem. Dessa forma, esses morfos poderiam ser mantidos na população devido à pressão de diferentes predadores, morfos vermelhos sinalizariam impalatabilidade para aves, enquanto morfos amarelos, para vespas. Porém, essas diferenças não foram observadas experimentalmente. Em campo, modelos pretos de aranha apresentaram mais marcas de predação do que modelos amarelos e vermelhos, também sugerindo que em G. cancriformis a coloração chamativa pode ser um sinal de advertência para predadores. Porém, a multiplicidade de predadores por si só não explica a variação cromática em populações dessa espécie de aranha. Consequentemente, o polimorfismo de cor em G. cancriformis pode ser uma característica multi-funcional, onde morfos não aposemáticos seriam mantidos nas populações devido a outras funções adaptativas, como camuflagem ou termorregulação.

Cette recherche s’intéresse à un sujet d’actualité portant sur la vie privée des mineurs en ligne, plus particulièrement sur la protection des données personnelles. Depuis l’avènement des nouvelles technologies de l’information et des communications (NTIC) et la venue du web 2.0, la protection des données personnelles demeure question d’actualité en plus d’être fort complexe. Cette question demeure encore plus criante lorsqu’il s’agit de mineurs. La présente recherche s’intéresse d’abord à l’utilisation d’Internet par les mineurs, à la notion de vulnérabilité du mineur et de l’insuffisance des règles actuelles. Elle s’intéresse également à la distinction conceptuelle entre « mineur » et « enfant » avant de s’arrêter plus longuement aux principales formes d’infractions qui portent atteinte à la vie privée et à l’intégrité des mineurs. Plus loin dans ce mémoire, on s’intéresse aux dispositions législatives et réglementaires au Canada, aux États-Unis et au sein de l’Union européenne. Dans la dernière partie on montre les différences significatives entre le Canada, les États-Unis et l’Union européenne. Dans la conclusion de ce mémoire, nous revenons sur les faits saillants de cette recherche comparative en insistant sur le fait qu’il est complexe de protéger les données personnelles des mineurs et qu’il existe des différences importantes dans les législations et les règlements en vigueur sur le plan national et international. / This research study addresses a current concern regarding the privacy of minors online, more specifically the protection of personal data. Since the emergence of new information and communication technologies (NICT) and the introduction of Web 2.0, the protection of personal data remains a relevant and very complex issue. This issue is even more critical when it comes to minors. This research study first looks at Internet use by minors, the notion of a minor person’s vulnerability and the limitations of the current rules. It also examines the conceptual distinction between "minor" and "child" before focusing on the main aspect of violation of a minor's privacy and integrity. Later in this master’s thesis, the legislative and regulatory provisions in Canada, the United States and the European Union are examined. The final section highlights the significant differences between Canada, the United States and the European Union. In the conclusion for this dissertation, we will look back at the highlights of this comparative study, emphasizing that the task of protecting the personal data of minors is complex and that there are significant disparities in the laws and regulations in force at the national and international levels.

Bien que les études comparant les consommateurs de pornographie juvénile et les agresseurs sexuels d’enfants se soient multipliées dans les dernières années, peu d’entre elles se sont spécifiquement penchées sur le type de matériel de pornographie saisi lors des arrestations. Dans cette étude, nous analysons un échantillon de 78 individus ayant été condamnés pour des infractions de pornographie juvénile, relativement à leurs caractéristiques socio-démographiques, leur histoire criminelle et le type de matériel de pédopornographie retrouvé en leur possession. Une comparaison de ces mêmes caractéristiques a été effectuée en distinguant les consommateurs de pornographie juvénile exclusifs, c’est-à-dire ceux qui n’ont pas d’antécédents pour d’autres délits sexuels, à ceux qui en possèdent. La régression logistique réalisée indique que les consommateurs ayant été condamnés pour d’autres délits sexuels sont plus âgés et plus nombreux à avoir vécu de la victimisation sexuelle dans l’enfance. Ils sont également plus nombreux à avoir été condamnés pour des délits de nature non sexuelle et à posséder du matériel de nudité représentant des garçons plutôt que des filles. Ils sont en revanche moins susceptibles de posséder du matériel de type atypique autre que la sexualisation d’enfants, d’avoir commis des délits non repérés et d’être engagés dans une relation conjugale. Bien qu’une validation ultérieure de ces observations et des recherches plus approfondies soient nécessaires, ces résultats suggèrent la présence de deux profils distincts de consommateurs en fonction du contenu possédé. / Although studies comparing child pornography users and sexual abusers have increased in recent years, few have focused specifically on pornography material seized by the police during the arrests. In this study, we analyze a sample of 78 individuals who have been convicted of child pornography offences in relation to their socio-demographic characteristics, criminal history, and seized child pornography material. A comparison of these same characteristics was made by distinguishing exclusive child pornography users, those who do not have a history of other sexual offences, from those who do. Logistic regression then indicates that consumers who have been convicted of other sexual offences are older and more likely to have experienced sexual victimization in childhood. They also are more likely to have been convicted of non-sexual offences and possessing nude material representing boys. Moreover, they are less likely to possess atypical material other than child sexualisation, to have committed unregistered offences and to be involved in a conjugal relationship. Although further validation of these observations and further research is required, these results suggest the presence of two distinct consumer profiles based on the content possessed.