A bill has been introduced to the US Congress that would require
web site operators wanting to post sexually explicit photos to the
internet to first obtain the consent of the subject of the
pictures.
The Personal Pictures Protection Act is being reintroduced,
having failed to pass through in last year’s Congress. It threatens
anyone with a fine and/or up to two years imprisonment who:
"with the intent to embarrass or cause emotional distress to
another person places on a computer photographs of the sexually
explicit conduct of that person, so that such photographs are
accessible on the internet without the permission of that other
person."
In the UK, the Data Protection Act would apply in most
circumstances where someone wanted to put such a photo on-line
where the subject of the image is identifiable. If it applies, the
Act means that prior consent would be required.
