NJ Bill Increases Penalty for Sexy Photo Leaks

The Garden State already has a law on the books that punishes people who capture or distribute explicit photos or video of someone else without consent, but one New Jersey lawmaker claims that protection isn't enough.

Under new legislation from Sen. Richard Codey (D-Livingston), the penalties are increased for anyone who leaks an individual's photos and videos. It targets content that contains "a person's intimate parts or sexual conduct."

In its current form, New Jersey law treats the offense as a third-degree crime, punishable by a fine of up to $15,000 and/or three to five years in prison. Codey's bill would make it a second-degree crime with a possible five to 10-year prison term and/or a fine of up to $150,000.

The measure is in response to "Celebgate" over the summer when the Apple iCloud was hacked and hundreds of explicit celebrity photos were released onto the Internet.

"We want to send a message to those who come up with incredibly creative ways to hack into your computers to find these photos," Codey said. "Everybody has a right to privacy, when you're a celebrity or just an average citizen."

Codey said this invasion of privacy can affect more than just the person in the photos; it can damage an entire family.