Porn Site Access Attempts at Archdiocese of Cologne Unproblematic, Says Prosecutor
After an investigation into attempts to visit pornographic websites from computers belonging to the Archdiocese of Cologne, authorities have concluded that no criminal offense has been committed. According to a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office, no investigation proceedings will be initiated.
The case first came to light in August, with the archdiocese stating that their firewalls had successfully thwarted the attempts. Regular checks are carried out to ensure these firewalls can block access to high-risk websites containing violent content, pornography, or drugs.
Upon discovering the attempted access, a compilation documenting blocked web content was provided to the vicariate general. This document did not involve evaluating the content behind the URLs.
The preliminary investigation focused on the nature of the websites, not on whether they were actually visited. Only if minors are seen engaging in sexual acts on these websites can visiting them be considered a punishable offense.
Originally, it was presumed that the archdiocese's robust IT security measures had effectively deterred any actual entry into the pornographic sites. Consequently, no charges will be filed due to the lack of initial suspicion of a criminal offense.
In other words, while attempts were made to access these sites, the firewalls successfully prevented entry, sparing the archdiocese from any potential legal scrutiny.
