Teens and Sharing Intimate Photos

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As Quebec students go back to school, a case about sharing intimate photos is making the news. Here are reminders about what the law says.

Crimes

Sharing intimate photos of someone without that person’s permission is a crime. For example, you can’t post intimate photos of your ex on social media or send them to a friend.

If the person in the photos is under 18, anyone who shares the photos can also be accused of distributing child pornography. This is true even if the person who shares the photos is under 18 and even if the person in the photos agrees to share them.

Teens in Canada are responsible for crimes they commit as of the age of 12.

What is an intimate photo?

It’s a photo or video showing parts of the body, such as breasts and genitals, or depicting an explicit sexual act.