Britain: Revenge Porn Is a Crime

Britons who want to get revenge on an ex by posting explicit images online—so-called "revenge pornography"—can now look forward to a little quality time in the clink. A new bill that makes such action a crime was today approved by Queen Elizabeth II, a formality that is required before a bill endorsed by Parliament can become law. The new law means that anyone who shares private and sexual images of another person without that person's permission, and with the intent of causing distress, may face up to two years in prison.

The Ministry of Justice says the law will come into force in the spring. Campaigners had argued that a specific law will make it much easier for police to deal with cases in which people maliciously post sexual images without the subject's consent. A helpline for victims has also been launched. (A German court, meanwhile, ruled last year that citizens must destroy erotic pictures of their exes.)