One of the nastiest Internet trends of recent years is now officially illegal in the state of California. California Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed a bill outlawing so-called revenge porn — making it now a misdemeanor to post identifiable naked pictures of someone else online without their permission and with the intent to cause emotional distress or humiliation, with a penalty of up to six months in jail and a fine of $1,000.
While a possible important protection for victims, free speech advocates are concerned the law sets a troubling precedent for stifling online content.
The AP reported:
Before the criminal law was enacted, California allowed victims to sue their virtual assailants, but that is an expensive and time-consuming option.
The American Civil Liberties Union had opposed the bill, arguing it might restrict free speech rights, which has been a concern in other states as well.
Florida lawmakers rejected a similar bill this year after First Amendment concerns surfaced there. Last year, the Missouri Supreme Court cited concerns about free speech in striking down part of a 2008 law enacted after a teenager who was teased online committed suicide.
