Revenge porn is now illegal in New York

Posting revenge porn can now land New Yorkers in jail.

On Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that classifies posting revenge porn — the distribution of photos or videos of another person without their consent — as a class A misdemeanor in the state of New York.

The legislation officially defines revenge porn as “the criminal act of unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image when done with the intent to cause harm to the emotional, financial, or physical welfare of another person and when the image was taken with a reasonable expectation that the image would remain private.”

Those found guilty of sharing revenge porn in New York will now face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The law will officially take effect in 60 days. The New York Senate and Assembly both passed the legislation earlier this year, putting the state on track to join 42 other states, as well as New York City, in passing revenge porn criminalization laws.

While not leading the way in criminalizing revenge porn, New York’s bill is unique in providing civil recourse to targets of harassment. Along with criminal charges, the bill gives victims the ability to seek civil recourse against the offender for damages. It also allows the victim to file a court order against online companies where the photos and videos were posted, requiring that the nonconsensual media be removed. In addition, those who had their photos posted can get an order of protection against the individual and file for workplace harassment if warranted.

"Our laws have not kept pace with technology and how abusers can use it to harass, intimidate and humiliate intimate partners," said Governor Cuomo when signing the bill. "By criminalizing the publication of revenge porn, we are empowering victims of this heinous act to take action against their abusers and showing them a path to justice."