Braunstein Introduces Bill to Crack Down on 'Revenge Porn'

State Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, D-Bayside, has introduced a bill that would make “revenge porn” illegal.

The assemblyman’s legislation would criminalize the non-consensual disclosure of sexually explicit photographs, which has been dubbed “revenge porn.”

Braunstein said advances in technology have made it easier for people in intimate relationships to share pictures, some of which may be sexually explicit, with each other.

However, some recipients have widely disseminated such photos on the Internet and included information, such as where the persons in the photographs work or live as well as links to their social network pages.

In some cases, these photographs have damaged relationships or hindered educational or employment opportunities.

And there have been instances in which victims were threatened with sexual assault, stalked or harassed.

“Disseminating sexually explicit images that were shared with an expectation of privacy can cause lasting damage to victims and should be a crime,” Braunstein said. “Passage of this legislation would make it clear that New Yorkers will not allow this type of harassment to continue. With the proliferation of cell phones and social networking, this problem will only get worse if we do not take immediate action.”

New York’s current law only punishes those who take sexually explicit photographs without the subject’s consent.

Braunstein’s bill would make the non-consensual disclosure of sexually explicit images a misdemeanor and the person who discloses the photograph would be subject to a $30,000 fine.