Tech Made Simple

Hot Topics: Holiday Gift Ideas | How to Fix Bluetooth Pairing Problems | How to Block Spam Calls | Snapchat Symbol Meaning

We may earn commissions when you buy from links on our site. Why you can trust us.

author photo

Revenge Porn: Another Reason to Protect Your Online Reputation

by Dan O'Halloran on February 04, 2013

When we're in love, common sense often goes out the window. Things we know we shouldn't do suddenly come under consideration. What's the harm in sending a sexy picture to your boyfriend or husband to let him know you're thinking of him? It's just between you and him, right?

A recent lawsuit against the "revenge porn" site Texxxan.com puts the dangers of this behavior under the spotlight. On "revenge porn" sites, men post the nude pictures of their ex-wives and ex-girlfriends, along with personal information, largely without their knowledge or approval. Anyone can log onto the site and see, well, everything.

What can you do to protect yourself? First, don't send naked or any kind of compromising pictures of yourself to anyone. Ever. The love of your life today could be a bitter and vengeful enemy tomorrow. Keep the intimacy to the bedroom. It works out better for all involved in the long run.

Second, what do you do when nude pictures of you surface online? It depends where you find them. Facebook doesn't allow any nudity in pictures and you can flag any you find for removal. If the picture isn't indecent, but still compromising (too much to drink at that Super Bowl party?), you can always untag yourself from the photo.

If your photo has surfaced on a revenge porn site or somewhere else other than Facebook, you can request the site take it down. You may have to get a lawyer involved at this point.

No matter your vigilance in staying out of compromising photos, it pays to monitor your online reputation on a regular basis. You'll want to know what is out on the internet about yourself before prospective employers do. Check out our Tools for Protecting Your Online Reputation and let us know in the comments below if you know of other great resources we may have missed.


Topics

Computer Safety & Support, News, Cameras and Photography, Photo / Video Sharing, Computers and Software, Blog


Discussion loading

gravatar

From Julie Isham 536 on February 04, 2013 :: 3:19 pm


If you take such pics / videos, you seriously are an idiot. Unless you didn’t know about it - why shouldn’t you think that someday it might end up on the internet for all to see?
“What can you do to protect yourself? First, don’t send naked or any kind of compromising pictures of yourself to anyone. Ever.”
This should be the only advice you ever have to read. Only idiots will think the one “special” person will be that “special” person forever. The man I thought I could trust with my heart - after 23 years of marriage - turned out to be addicted to homosexual porn. Since I never allowed photos / videos of me - no worries of revenge porn there.
Don’t use the excuse “I never thought he would do that” - everyone changes, and only an idiot would think such personal items are safe in anyone else’s care. It’s actually sad that there are sites out there that people can put up revenge porn - but more sad that there is such porn out there to be posted. Idiots. Seriously, even teens should have some brains to know that this can happen. Go ahead and get mad - but seriously, not at the one who posts the porn, but mad at the one who allowed it to be made!

Reply

gravatar

From Person on November 05, 2013 :: 1:45 pm


Except there are guys who’ll take the pictures when their girlfriend is not looking. Then what? Are you going to suggest that girls never be naked around their boyfriends? Or are they supposed to develop digital telepathy?

And even if the picture is taken unwillingly, there’s still absolute jack shit you can do about it. If you ask that the photos be deleted, due to how easy back ups are, you can never be sure if it’s actually deleted. Even if you know only one person could ever have that photo, once it’s in digital form infinite copies can be made, so they can weasel their way out of guilt even if they intentionally use the photos to ruin someone.

Furthermore, it’s encouraging harassment since these photos are posted with all of the girl’s personal information specifically to encourage harassment.

So, the issue isn’t that some “guys are assholes. don’t date assholes ladies! ;D” The issue is there’s no legal protection against this form of defamation. And the bigger overarching issue is the prevalence of slut-shaming and the whole slut/madonna rule that girls are held under. Or do you not think it’s fucked up that no matter how and when these pictures are taken, the pictures will say “this woman is sexually promiscuous and therefore less of a person so it’s okay to harass them and discriminate against them”?

Girl doesn’t have to be sexually promiscuous to be thought of as a slut. She just has to piss someone off and then suddenly it’s okay to harass her. That kind of standard is disgusting.

Reply

Home | About | Meet the Team | Contact Us
Media Kit | Newsletter Sponsorships | Licensing & Permissions
Accessibility Statement
Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookie Policy

Techlicious participates in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which provide a small commission from some, but not all, of the "click-thru to buy" links contained in our articles. These click-thru links are determined after the article has been written, based on price and product availability — the commissions do not impact our choice of recommended product, nor the price you pay. When you use these links, you help support our ongoing editorial mission to provide you with the best product recommendations.

© Techlicious LLC.