FACT CHECK: Has the German Parliament Decriminalized Child Pornography Possession?

An image of a headline shared on Facebook claims German Parliament has purportedly decriminalized possession of child pornography.

Verdict: Misleading

The claim is misleading. According to a May 21 article from Reduxx, German Parliament recently voted to reduce the minimum sentences for possession of child pornography, not decriminalize possession of the material.

Fact Check:

Back in April, German Parliament approved a “self-determination” law, which makes it easier for transgender, intersex, and nonbinary people to “change their name and gender in official records,” according to The Associated Press. The law is set to go into effect on November 1, the outlet reported.

The Facebook image claims German Parliament has purportedly decriminalized possession of child pornography. “‘Pro-Pedophile’ Activist Group Celebrates As Germany Decriminalizes Child Pornography,” the headline reads. The claim also circulated on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, where it was viewed over 200,000 times.

The claim is misleading, however. The headline appears to originally stem from a May 21 article published by Reduxx. According to the article, the German Parliament recently voted to remove a section of the Criminal Code in relation to “possession of child sexual abuse materials.” The move aims to reduce the minimum sentences for possession of child pornography, which will then be “downgraded to a misdemeanor,” the same article indicates.

The German Parliament’s website states that in the future “possession and acquisition” of child pornography will be “punishable by a minimum sentence of three months’ imprisonment, and distribution by a minimum sentence of six months’ imprisonment.” The website notes “tightening of the penalty range in 2021” as the German Parliament’s reason for reducing the minimum sentences. (RELATED: Did Palestine Qualify For The World Cup?)

Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim made via the Facebook image. In fact, the opposite is true. On June 19, Reuters reported the claim was misleading. The outlet cited a February 2024 article from The Independent, which referenced a rule that became effective in July 2021, which made dissemination of child pornography punishable by between one and ten years in prison. The rule caused “unintended problems,” according to the outlet, and did not account for instances where people might receive pornographic material “involuntarily,” such as in a WhatsApp group.

Furthermore, the German Parliament has not publicly commented on the claim via its associated social media accounts.

Check Your Fact has contacted the German Parliament for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.