Story highlights
California debates a law that would make posting what's known as "revenge porn" illegal
New Jersey is the only state with a similar law
Distributing photos taken with permission falls into a gray legal area
In the aftermath of a failed relationship, jilted lovers have been known to lash out by posting sexually explicit photos or videos of their exes online.
Called “revenge porn,” or the less-salacious “cyber revenge,” the trend has been around for years, spawning entire websites that profit off these images. But now, state laws could make this illegal.
Opinion: ‘Revenge porn’ should be a crime
This week, the California Legislature is debating a new bill that would make it a misdemeanor for people to distribute sexually explicit photos or videos they’d shot in order to cause others humiliation or distress. It has already passed the state Senate.