It’s not as concise as just three words but I think the slogan “crime doesn’t pay” should be expanded to include “…and neither does despicable online behavior.”
About a year and a half ago, I wrote a blog about revenge porn – a form of cyberbullying. At the time, a number of US states were creating laws to punish spiteful people (mostly maladjusted and/or immature men).
Again, for those who don’t know, revenge porn is the online posting of embarrassing, racy, or nude photos and videos of an ex-lover or former spouse – without their consent. Often the victim’s name, address, phone numbers, and employment information are included–which in many cases leads to harassment of the victims by people who see the images and personal data on websites dedicated to this morally bankrupt activity.
A Landmark Case against Revenge Porn Site Owner
In what’s being called a landmark case, a 28-year-old San Diego man who ran a revenge porn site was recently convicted of identity theft and extortion. This creep could spend up to 24 years in jail. I think every decent, freedom-loving American or citizen of the world should applaud this outcome.
Everyone should be free from the fear that a former spouse, friend, or lover is going to post naked images of you without your approval on a website for all the world to see. And no one should have to pay that website owner to remove the private, embarrassing, and potentially life-ruining images.
I think anyone who tries to make money off such despicable behavior should be penalized with a lot of jail time and a long time-out from using the Internet.
So What Can You Do to Avoid Becoming a Victim?
My advice from 2013 is the same for 2015: “Just don’t do it.” Do not pose for naked pictures no matter how much you love the individual they are intended for. The only reasonable excuse for having nude photographs of yourself is if you’re being paid a lot of money (at least 6 figures!) in advance.
It’s easy to be critical of someone who takes a nude selfie and shares it without fear of the potential consequences. However, I think it would be a great disservice to “blame the victim” for doing a dumb thing that maybe didn’t seem wrong or dangerous at the time.
We’re all human and fallible. We shouldn’t have to pay for some mistakes or indiscretions forever. Perhaps the only thing we can do is consider one victim’s advice, “Think before you press send.”
Some perpetrators’ defense is that they were hacked and that’s how their ex’s personal pictures got online. Don’t buy it. Lame excuse. This would not have happened if they had Trend Micro Internet Security.
I work for Trend Micro and the opinions expressed here are my own.
