www.cpanb-apcnb.com Crime Prevention Association of NB Inc 49 New cyberbullying legislation now in force On March 10th, 2015, a new law came into force that prohibits the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. This new law applies to everyone, not just people under 18. With digital technology rapidly changing, there has been an increase of cyberbullying in the form of distributing intimate or sexual images without the consent of the person in the photo or video. This type of behaviour can occur in a variety of situations. Often it appears to be a form of revenge: a person has willingly shared an intimate image of themselves with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and when the relationship ends, the partner may distribute those photos in what is sometimes called 'revenge porn'. Whatever the motivation, the impact of this kind of cyberbullying can be devastating to a person's self-esteem, reputation and mental health. In some cases, these acts may have played a part in teens taking their own lives. This new offence is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment. An “intimate image” is defined as an image that depicts a person engaged in explicit sexual activity or that depicts a sexual organ, anal region or breast. Furthermore, the image would have to be one where there person depicted had a reasonable expectation of privacy at the time of the recording and had not relinquished his or her privacy interest at the time of the offence. What are the potential legal consequences of cyberbullying? More information can be found at: www.getcybersafe.gc.ca
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