ALBANY – A new state law, signed Tuesday morning by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, makes it illegal to publish “revenge porn,” or the non-consensual sharing or publication of an intimate image.
This new law subjects abusers to criminal penalties of up to a year in jail, plus civil damages, and empowers victims to seek a court order to remove these images online.
“Our laws have not kept pace with technology and how abusers can use it to harass, intimidate and humiliate intimate partners,” Cuomo said. “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.”
The law 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.
It also establishes the act of unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image as a Class A misdemeanor and amends the Civil Rights Law to allow victims of “revenge porn” to seek civil recourse for the damages.
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