There's a lot that can be (and has been) said, but @frostycab's admonition to avoid this stuff like the plague is very good advice.
Rather than write a long essay here (which is always my temptation), let me propose a few factoids:
-
A website's certification that "all our models are 18+" isn't reliable. Websites are in the business of selling content, and these statements can be nothing more than marketing devices.
-
mike18.com can be found on the internet archive "wayback machine," with listings starting in 2005 and ending last year. I don't have any information on why the website disappeared, but if "Mike" was 18 in 2005, he'd be 36 now, and not likely to be featured in that site's content.
-
If one's computer is searched by law enforcement, and questionable material is found, it is not a defence to claim that one relied on a website's certification. While it is not possible to determine whether a model is 18 or 16 simply by looking at a photograph or video, police officers tend to be cautious and do an arrest if they have "probable cause" to believe that some material might feature under-age models.
-
While the maxim of the law in first-world western countries is that a person is presumed innocent of criminal charge until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law, in practice it doesn't work that way for child abuse, child pornography, or drink-driving. In those kinds of cases, even well-intentioned and well-informed jurors will presume guilt unless there is a proof of innocence. It isn't supposed to work that way, but this is what tends to happen.
-
It is ultimately each person's responsibility to curate their own porn collection to eliminate the possibility of under-age material. There is material on this site--and many others--that I would not be comfortable keeping on my computer. That is not a criticism of this site--it's just a different perspective. Other torrent and tube sites have a variety of approaches to this topic. One torrent that I know site will only list material from Very Big Studios that have too much money at stake to risk using under-age models. I also recall a tube site hosting material, mostly home-made, that is often very questionable. I don't know where they're located or how they stay afloat.
-
The bottom line, though, is not, "how do I stay out of jail?" Our concern should be "how do I not exploit young boys/men?" A 15-year-old who is paid a few dollars/pounds/euros to wank on camera might look like he is giving consent to the act, but he isn't able, at that age, to fully appreciate the consequences of his actions. He is being exploited for profit and/or gratification. Even though we might not be holding the camera or paying money to view that performance, we are still participating in the exploitation.
OK, I confess to having written a long essay despite my stated intention otherwise. But these are important issues that need our careful attention.
