Former Culture Secretary Baroness Morgan has slammed digital companies that benefit from websites that “do nothing but exploit the distress of victims” by disseminating revenge porn.
She urged major technology platforms to “do the right thing” and make the internet safer for women and girls by addressing the rise of sites that post intimate photographs without authorization.
“Women and girls are discovering that someone they trusted with an intimate image has abused that trust and shared those images on websites dedicated to spreading such abuse,” said Baroness Morgan. These websites exist exclusively to defy consent.
“And we can see they are growing into thriving businesses. Big tech companies are enabling and profiting off this abuse even while they claim they have policies about harmful content. Instead, they could already be blocking these sites.
“Big tech companies don’t have to wait for [regulator] Ofcom to publish codes of practice or guidance or for Ministers to make regulations.
Abusers, predators and bitter ex-partners who share intimate images online without the consent of those depicted will face jail time under measures announced by the Government in June.
New amendments to the Online Safety Bill removed the requirement for prosecutors to prove that perpetrators shared sexual images or films in order to cause distress.
This makes it easier to charge and convict someone who shares intimate images without consent – putting more offenders behind bars and better protecting the public.
Those found guilty of this base will have a maximum penalty of 6 months in custody. And where it is proven a perpetrator also intended to cause distress, alarm or humiliation, or to obtain sexual gratification, they could face a 2-year prison term.