British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 attorney general has sent a letter to technology companies warning they could face orders to stop the distribution of intimate images of B.C. residents that have been shared without their consent.

Niki Sharma said Thursday the Intimate Images Protection Act will come into force in the coming months and create new legal mechanisms to stop the online distribution of images such as near-nude photos, videos, livestreams and digitally altered content.

In a letter sent to companies, including Twitter, Meta, OnlyFans, and Pornhub, Sharma said they could be required to delete, de-index or destroy images, or provide information that is needed to help with the removal.

B次元官网网址淭he letterB次元官网网址檚 very clear, and theyB次元官网网址檙e all on notice, that circulating or distributing intimate images is sexualized violence and will not be tolerated,B次元官网网址� Sharma said at a news conference.

B次元官网网址淚 expect these technology companies to join me in condemning these terrible acts, and I expect them to share our goal of protecting people over profits.B次元官网网址�

Cybertip.ca, a national hotline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children, says thereB次元官网网址檚 been a 150 per cent increase in reported threats to distribute young peopleB次元官网网址檚 intimate images online over the past six months.

Sharma said the new law sets out liability for an online company that hasnB次元官网网址檛 taken reasonable steps to address the non-consensual distribution of photos or videos on their site, which can include an order for damages.

She said B.C.B次元官网网址檚 process would be complementary to the Criminal Code, which already outlaws the sharing of intimate images without consent.

B次元官网网址淭his process is set up to protect victims in terms of taking down the images and going after civil claims of damages against people in the event that they were harmed by those images,B次元官网网址� she said.

Sharma acknowledged that jurisdictional issues are B次元官网网址渃omplicatedB次元官网网址� when dealing with international technology companies and images distributed outside of B.C., but said the province does have mechanisms to enforce orders beyond its border.

B次元官网网址淚 expect them to comply with a court order from a British Columbian court with respect to a British Columbian citizen and their image,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淪o that means where itB次元官网网址檚 distributing on their websites, no matter where it is, the obligation is to take it down.B次元官网网址�

Sharma said she has already had a B次元官网网址減roductiveB次元官网网址� meeting with representatives from Google and expects to meet with other companies to talk about systems they can put in place to comply with the act.

B次元官网网址淚 expect that a lot of companies are wanting to protect people from this type of sexualized violence and (Google) certainly indicated that as well,B次元官网网址� she said.

B.C.B次元官网网址檚 law comes as the federal government recently introduced a bill that would add those convicted of the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and extortion to the national sex offender database.

B次元官网网址� Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press

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