New Law Charging People $500 For Sending Unsolicited Nudes Passes In Virginia
Be careful who you’re sexting or DM’ing if you live in Virginia. If they didn’t ask to see you naked, it could cost you $500. Via NBC:
Legislators in the General Assembly have passed a bill saying anyone over 18 who sends a nude photo to another person over 18 without their consent can be fined $500.
Introduced by Senator Jennifer McClellan, the bill says an unsolicited intimate image sent to someone who did not consent or “has expressly forbidden the receipt of such material” is considered a trespass.
The bill states recipient of the unwanted image can sue the sender for actual damages or $500 “whichever is greater” along with any associated attorney fees and costs.
The bill will go into effect on July 1st, although it’s not clear if it applies only to senders and recipients who live in Virginia. For example, if a Virginia resident sent me (a California resident) an unwanted nude, could I sue them for $500, or would I have to be a resident of Virginia, too?
[NBC: General Assembly—sending nude photos without consent means $500 fine]
