ALBANY — New York senators voted today — and passed —legislation that would make revenge porn illegal in the Big Apple.
The bill designates posting private, explicit photos of another person without their consent a class A misdemeanor on the first offense, punishable by one year in the slammer. A repeat offense would be acknowledged as a class E felony, punishable by four years in jail.
State Sen. Phil Boyle, the bill’s sponsor, said that revenge porn can have a major negative effect on the victim, prompting the development of their protection.
Under New York law, it is already illegal to disseminate explicit photos of someone if they were taken unbeknownst to the subject. Boyle’s bill would extend coverage to those who gave pictures to a lover or spouse in good faith, only to be double crossed later.
Analagous laws already exist is Arizona, California, New Jersey, Georgia, Idaho, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. Idaho and Arizona make it a felony for a first violation; the crime is a felony in Georgia and Utah on the second offense.
The bill now moves to the Assembly, where similar legislation has already been introduced.
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