Federal 'Revenge Porn' Law Edges Toward Congress

SACRAMENTO — Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) said she is preparing to introduce federal legislation to criminalize revenge porn, and hopes to bring the bill to Congress sometime next month.

While Speier speculates that many lawmakers will support the gesture, the legislation is still a work in progress. Several major details yet unclear include the maximum punishment for offenders and specific rules governing the removal of the content in question.

California, New Jersey and (just recently) Idaho have already outlawed the practice of posting explicit, nonconsensual photos, often of an ex or former lover, and many other states are working towards analogous legislation of their own.

However, many revenge porn operators remain safe due to a technicality afforded by Section 230 of the Federal Communications Decency Act, which grants Internet companies illegal immunity if hosted content provided by a third-party doesn’t violate criminal or copyright law. A federal ban of the practice would put the onus of content removal on webmasters and even search engines.

University of Miami law professor Mary Anne Franks, an advocate for victims of revenge porn and a board member of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, is helping to draft the legislation.

An ongoing criticism of criminalizing revenge porn (both statewise and nationwide) has been that federal laws regulating the Internet may encroach on free speech and lead to unnecessary censorship.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

TeamSkeet Releases 1st Installment of 'Ripe for the Taking'

TeamSkeet has released the first installment of its latest feature, "Ripe for the Taking," starring TeamSkeet March AllStar Scarlett Alexis.

Skinfluential Management's FansFuel Acquires Fanwire

Creator stats and affiliate marketing platform FansFuel has acquired creator account management tool Fanwire.

Pineapple Support Taps Kasey Kei as Brand Ambassador

Pineapple Support has named veteran performer and content creator Kasey Kei as its latest brand ambassador.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

Eva Maxim, Katrina Colt Headline 'Cumming to LA' From Cherry Kiss

Eva Maxim and Katrina Colt star with Vince Karter in 2021 XBIZ Europas Female Performer of the Year Cherry Kiss' "Cumming to L.A.," from Evil Angel.

AEBN Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network (AEBN) is celebrating its 25th year in business this week.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

Skylar Snow Headlines 'Infidelity 4' From Sweet Sinner

Skylar Snow toplines "Infidelity 4," the latest release from Mile High Media studio brand Sweet Sinner.

Serenity Cox Stars in 'Enjoy It' From MILFY

Serenity Cox stars with Alberto Blanco in "Enjoy It," from Vixen Media Group studio imprint MILFY.

Show More