Around New England

Massachusetts House Passes Bill To Ban ‘Revenge Porn’

January 10, 2024

A bill that would ban so-called revenge porn has gotten unanimous approval from the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

State representatives voted 151-0 on Wednesday, January 10 for the bill, which would make it illegal to publish “sexually explicit images” of a person without that person’s consent.

The bill covers situations in which a woman in a romantic relationship voluntarily sends nude images to her boyfriend, who later publishes those images online. The bill states:  “consent to the creation of visual material shall not constitute consent to the distribution of the visual material.”

The bill defines publishing such images without consent as criminal harassment, punishable by up to 2 ½ years in the house of correction and by a fine of up to $10,000.

The bill also directs the state attorney general, district attorneys, the state Department of Youth Services, and state education officials to create “a comprehensive educational diversion program” about sexting for students in schools, informing students about the possible legal consequences of such behavior as well as its effect on relationships and future opportunities in school and at work.

The measure is Massachusetts House Bill 4241 (“An Act To Prevent Abuse and Exploitation”).

The Massachusetts Senate has not yet taken up the bill.

Massachusetts is one of only two states in the country that does not make so-called revenge porn illegal.

The Massachusetts House passed a comparable bill during the 2021-2022 legislative session, but the House and Senate could not iron out differences on the legislation before the term ended.

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