Having a high-quality digital camera in your pocket makes it easier than ever before in human history to take and share intimate videos and photographs. Although people typically share such images with other people that they trust when they have an expectation of privacy, sometimes those very personal files end up being shared with others. Many people have experienced negative consequences from a former partner sharing images with specific people or posting them indiscriminately online.
Whether you recorded video footage during an intimate act with your former partner or they sent you photos of themself, you may want to share those images with others after your break up. Doing so might actually lead to jail time.
Ohio has a law against “revenge porn”
Intentionally disseminating nude or intimate images of another person without their consent is a crime in Ohio. You could face a fine of up to $500 or possibly 60 days in state custody after a conviction. There are certain limitations on this law, including that there had to be an intent to harm the other party and that it is possible to identify them based on the image itself or information shared along with the image or video.
Those prosecuted under Ohio’s revenge porn law could have a criminal record that haunts them for years to come. The information about the offense could affect everything from an individual’s job prospects and scholarship eligibility to how future romantic partners perceive that person. Pleading guilty to an offense involving the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images could have a lasting impact on many parts of your life.
Learning more about what you can and cannot do with personal images can help you avoid serious criminal charges.