What is revenge porn?
Revenge porn is the distribution of explicit videos and images without consent. Revenge is only one motivation to spread this content. Academics and organizations that fight revenge porn prefer to call it “image-based sexual abuse” (IBSA).
Revenge porn fast facts
Revenge porn is a criminal offense in many countries, including the US.
In 2023, a court in Texas convicted a man to pay $1.2 billion to his victim of revenge porn.
In 1953, the first edition of “Playboy” magazine published erotic pictures of Marilyn Monroe without her consent.
Porn sites often contain fake revenge porn, or they call it “leaked sex tapes”.
You can take small precautions against revenge porn and anyone can report it to official organizations to get it offline.
Why do people even share porn without consent?
People share explicit pictures without consent for many reasons. Revenge for a broken relationship is only one of them, and therefore it is also called “image-based sexual abuse”.
Explicit pictures that are obtained without permission are often used for blackmail and extortion. In return for not making them public, perpetrators demand sexual intercourse or money from their victims.
Humiliating or damaging somebody’s personal or professional life is another common reason. Sharing or posting explicit images or videos of someone is then a pure evil deed, or driven by jealousy.
Is revenge porn illegal?
Yes, it is illegal in many countries, such as Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
In the US, all states except Massachusetts and South-Carolina, have laws against revenge porn, but they differ. In West Virginia, for instance, you can be sentenced to jail time for “not more than one year, or fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000”.
That is a much softer punishment than in Texas. In August 2023, a jury found Marques Jamal Jackson guilty of revenge porn. Nothing special, apart from the fact that he has to pay $1.2 billion to his victim.
Judge sitting in a courtroom. Photograph: Londondeposit via Depositphotos
Where can you find revenge porn?
Since it’s illegal, many porn sites try to block this adult content from their platform. In 2020, for instance, Pornhub removed all content that was not uploaded by verified users. The measure was not watertight, because revenge porn soon got a new name: “leaked sex tapes” or “hidden cam porn”.
Perpetrators often share it under the radar, such as closed online communities, social media groups, messenger apps, and email. They can also create fake accounts on social media and share the illegally posted nudes and sex videos with friends and family of the victim.
Explicit images can also be printed and sent to family members, or employers of the victim. Sometimes, they are even spread as leaflets in schools or universities.
Are there fake legal revenge porn sites?
Yes. Porn is often not what it promises it is. Consumers of adult content can be aware they are not watching the real deal and be happy with it. As long as it is produced and distributed with the consent of 18+ models, there is technically nothing wrong with the label that is put on the sex video.
This is a common practice in the porn industry. Think, for instance, of fake stepfamily porn or teens who are in fact of legal age, but look much younger.
Of course, there is also an ethical part of the story. Using the label “revenge porn”, even if it is fake, can raise questions amongst organizations and victims of this type of sexual abuse.
How can I report a revenge porn site for violating laws against cyberbullying and harassment?
Without evidence, it will be hard to make a case. So that is the first thing to do when you come across illegal revenge porn on a site. Take screenshots, make pictures, or even a video with your phone.
Then, contact local authorities to report the sites. You can also seek help and advice from organizations that are protecting victims of revenge porn. In the US, the most famous ones are March Against Revenge Porn and Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI).
There are also international organizations, such as StopNCII. Their main purpose is to support victims of sexual online bullying.
Nonconsensual pornography fast facts. Photograph: CCRI
What steps can be taken to remove revenge porn from the internet?
It’s impossible to have all copies of digital images and movies removed from the internet. But since revenge porn is illegal, platforms and sites also provide ways to remove non consensual explicit content.
Revenge porn is, for instance, forbidden on TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. All of them have a page where you can report violations against the terms and conditions and request content removal.
The same is true for search engines, like Google and Bing. You can request to remove content from the search results. However, that doesn’t remove the content from the sources where it’s published.
What steps can individuals take to prevent revenge porn from happening to them?
You can take a couple of precautions to protect yourself from becoming a victim of revenge porn.
- Don’t share nudes or pornographic pictures. That’s easier said than done, because sexting is popular amongst all generations.
- Use strong passwords and additional security measures, such as 2FA authentication for all the apps you use.
- Install security software, such as firewalls, anti-virus, malware and anti ransom apps.
- Don’t share pictures with everyone, even if they are not explicit. With AI deepfake and deepnude apps, anyone can use your picture to create highly realistic explicit images and sex videos.
- As a parent or teacher, educate children about responsible online behavior.
Is revenge porn a new phenomenon?
No. Some historical incidents with celebrities show this phenomenon has been around for a much longer time than you may expect.
In 1953, “Playboy” magazine published spicy images of Marilyn Monroe on the cover and as centerfold without her consent. Although this is technically not revenge porn, it gets very close.
Shortly after the internet became mainstream, the first cases of digital revenge porn with celebrities took place. Leaked sex tapes of Pamela Anderson with Tommy Lee, or Paris Hilton’s, for example, quickly spread across the internet and inspired malicious people to do the same.
Marilyn Monroe on the first cover of Playboy Magazine. Nude images in the magazine were published without her consent. Photograph: Playboy
How can revenge porn impact the mental health of victims?
In many countries, the law considers revenge porn as sexual abuse. The consequences for victims are serious, because everything happens in public.
Victims typically experience intense emotional distress, including feelings of shock, humiliation, betrayal, and shame. They may feel violated and exposed and that can lead to anxiety and depression. PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and even suicide are also common amongst the victims.
Revenge porn can also impact the social and professional life of victims. Perpetrators post the explicit content online or share it directly with employers, friends or family of their victims.
Aren’t victims of revenge porn guilty themselves?
Victim-blaming is one of the typical reactions to revenge porn. After all, some people share nudes and explicit videos of themselves with others.
However, creating and privately sharing erotic and explicit images is different from giving the receiver permission to forward it to others. Some perpetrators even go as far as publishing it on social media or so-called revenge porn sites.
Everyone can become a victim. Teenagers experience it intensely because they were raised with the internet and social media. But also adults who become a victim can suffer for the remainder of their life from this type of online bullying.
