The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has opposed draft revenge porn legislation that is being considered in Minnesota. The MPAA said the Minnesota draft law could restrict the publication of items of legitimate news, commentary, and
historical interest .
Revenge porn refers to the sharing of intimate images after the end of a relationship, but the definition is being 'stretched' a broader sense to describe any publication of explicit images without consent, for example when
private photographs of a celebrity are leaked online.
Opponents of revenge porn legislation have argued that some of the new laws are too broad in scope, and that existing copyright, communication and harassment laws sufficiently cover the
subject. 'Intent to harass'
The MPAA, which represents six major Hollywood film studios, said the Minnesota law could limit the distribution of a wide array of mainstream, constitutionally protected material . It cited images of Holocaust
victims and prisoners at Abu Ghraib as examples of images depicting nudity which are shared without the subjects' consent.
The MPAA called for the legislation to clarify that images shared without consent only broke the law if they were shared
with an intent to harass . In a statement, the organisation said:
The MPAA opposes online harassment in all forms. While we agree with the aims... we are concerned that the current version of the bill is written
so broadly that it could have a chilling effect on mainstream and constitutionally-protected speech.
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has opposed draft revenge porn legislation that is being considered in Minnesota. The MPAA said the Minnesota draft law could restrict the publication of items of legitimate news, commentary, and
historical interest . 