Revenge Porn: the sordid on the chain settles on the networks

They are thousands to share intimate images, “nudes”, without authorization. Quietly, these broadcasts are done on social networks yet general public: Twitter, Snapchat but especially Telegram. Since the first confinement, the figures for these media shares have exploded.

A booming practice

We find in these groups hundreds, even thousands of members who exchange naked photos and sextapes, mainly of their former partners. Out of revenge, for deception, frustration or for other obscure reasons, these Internet users therefore decide to disseminate this intimate content en masse. The users are overwhelmingly men, the victims are overwhelmingly women.

Telegram turns a deaf ear

The social network that has contributed the most to the development of Revenge porn is Telegram. Dozens of media sharing groups have sprung up, some with over 30,000 members. The problem: Telegram does not moderate, or only slightly. In question, its rules of use : if illegal pornographic content, such as Revenge porn, is indeed prohibited, the platform refuses reports from private groups.

“I wake up and see a nude video of me on Snapchat” – don’t hesitate to get help; contact@StopFisha⁩ https://t.co/deEchNUvv0

— 🌸🦋🌸 (@moustikdeformen) January 8, 2023

For the social network, therefore, a group of several tens of thousands of members is considered private. We’ll come back for consistency. In practice, however, this leads to total impunity for those who share and consume this content. Remember that, however, it is crimes punishable by law and liable to imprisonment:

Photographing or filming a person or transmitting their image, without their consent, when the image has a sexual character, is punishable by 2 years’ imprisonment and a fine of €60,000.

How to protect yourself?

First, it is recommended to avoid sharing intimate images with other people if they can be kept. In other words, if you want to exchange this kind of content, turn to private messaging services that do not store the content (the famous ephemeral messaging services) preventing screenshots. We find this feature on Snapchat, Messenger and even WhatsApp with its unique view recently.

“Fisha”, “Slut Shaming”, “Revenge Porn”: it may not speak to you but it speaks to your children.

2 anonymous and free green numbers exist. Let them know:
➡️ 30 20
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+ info on the campaign @MTense : https://t.co/JKgJOQ0kTx pic.twitter.com/XaZaho2FYk

— Adrien Taquet (@AdrienTaquet) May 2, 2020

It can also be interesting to protect your identity by avoiding the presence, on these images, of any element allowing you to be identified: face, tattoos, decorative elements, etc.

If despite everything, you are a victim of Revenge porn, you can take action. Talk about it around you, contact the authorities by filing a complaint at the police station or the gendarmerie and approach a victim support association such as Stop Fisha Where e-childhood if the victim is a minor.