Non-Consensual Porn Bill Enters Icelandic Parliament

A new bill which has been submitted to Parliament would, if passed, make non-consensual porn punishable with jail time. The bill, which was led by Pirate Party MP Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson, is co-signed by 23 members of Parliament from all parties—except the Independence Party.

If passed, it would be punishable to produce, post or distribute images or videos of someone without their consent that depicts them naked or engaged in sexual behaviour. If the material in question is real, offenders could face fines or up to six years in jail. If the material is fake, or if it was posted by accident, the punishment would be fines or up to three years in jail.

A similar bill was submitted during the previous parliamentary session. This newest version was crafted after taking into consideration suggestions from the general public, with changes added including making the sentencing heavier if the victim in question is under the age of 18. The bill also gives some flexibility to judges to interpret for themselves whether or not any given material counts as pornographic in their estimation; if the judge believes it does not, then the accused would not be subject to criminal penalties.

Icelandic law already forbids the publication and distribution of porn, including the distribution of porn where the individuals involved did not consent to said distribution, but that existing legislation employs vague language. This new bill hopes to change that.

The bill has only now been submitted. It will need to go through parliamentary discussions and committee review before a final vote is taken, but being an opposition party bill, its passage is tenuous.