Invasion of privacy: distribution of sexually explicit materials.

Existing law makes it a crime for a person to distribute, with the intent to cause serious emotional distress, a photograph or recorded image of the intimate body part or parts of another identifiable person, under circumstances where the parties agree or understand that the image shall remain private, if the depicted person subsequently suffers serious emotional distress. This bill would create a private right of action against a person who intentionally distributes a photograph or recorded image of another that exposes the intimate body parts, as defined, of that person or him or her engaged in specified sexual acts, without his or her consent, knowing that the other person had a reasonable expectation that the material would remain private, if specified conditions are met. The bill would establish affirmative defenses to that cause of action, including waiver or consent of the person appearing in the material. In a civil proceeding pursuant to these provisions, the bill would also authorize equitable relief, as specified, and a plaintiff to proceed using a pseudonym instead of his or her true name. The bill would require a plaintiff using a pseudonym in a civil proceeding under these provisions to file a confidential information form, as specified. The bill would make these provisions operative July 1, 2015. This bill would further require the Judicial Council to develop that confidential information form by July 1, 2015.