Texasâ ârevenge pornâ law, which makes it a misdemeanor to post someoneâs private photos online without their consent, does not violate the First Amendment, according to a Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruling Wednesday.
The ruling by the stateâs highest criminal court overturns a lower courtâs 2018 ruling that the law was unconstitutional.
The 2015 law made posting someoneâs intimate photos to the internet without their permission a crime, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. In 2018, the 12th Court of Appeals in Tyler ruled that the law violated the First Amendment and asked a lower court to dismiss charges against a man who was awaiting trial for posting a womanâs private photos online without her consent.
In 2018, a lower court ruled that a state law that prohibits posting someone’s intimate photos online without their permission violated the First Amendment. Wednesday's ruling overturns that decision.