Many couples share racy photographs with one another when they first start dating or during a period of separation due to work or travel. They may even make videos of their intimate moments together for their personal enjoyment.
You may think, once someone sent you a photograph or allowed you to record an image, that you own those images and can do whatever you want with them. However, that is not how the law works in Florida.
A state statute makes it illegal for you to share intimate or nude images or videos of other people without their explicit consent. This act of sharing, sometimes called revenge porn, can leave to criminal charges and civil lawsuits.
How does Florida’s revenge porn work?
The rise in popularity of sharing intimate images gave rise to multiple websites where jilted partners could distribute those videos and photos to embarrass or bully their former partners. Lawmakers then responded by making it illegal to share images or videos, even those that you capture yourself, without the permission of everyone depicted.
If you share images of your ex online or send them to your friends, you could face real consequences. Most of the time, sexual cyberharassment, the legal term for such sharing, is a first-degree misdemeanor. However, when someone has a history involving the same offense, the subsequent offenses become a third-degree felony.
The other party could also initiate a civil lawsuit against you because of the potential damage to their reputation. That lawsuit would be in addition to whatever criminal penalties you face. Understanding Florida’s criminal laws can help you avoid accidentally breaking them.