Tumblr users who share revenge porn could be named and shamed

Tumblr users who shared a revenge porn video on the website could have their names and details exposed and face being sued after a landmark ruling was made in the US.

The microblogging website saw the non-consensual sex video of a woman, who was just 17 years old at the time of filming, shared by over 500 users. They may now have their anonymity unmasked.

The victim, who lives in the Bronx, New York and is now 27 years old, only discovered the graphic content was online earlier this year when strangers began contacting her through Facebook with explicit messages about the clip.

It is believed the video, which was filed over ten years ago, was originally posted to the site by "an angry ex".

Her case to strip anonymous users who shared the video of her engaged in sexual acts was granted by a Manhattan judge on Wednesday (7 June). She now wants to use the to-be revealed identities to sue each of the 500-plus users who reposted the material over a breach of privacy and for emotional distress.

"I'm directing Tumblr to disclose to petitioner all the account registration information concerning each individual account that re-blogged the images and videos that are at issue here," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice David Cohen told the NY Post.

Tumblr, which was founded in 2007 and is now worth over $1.1bn, has been told it has to comply within five days. While Tumblr is likely to appeal, it is understood to be a first-of-its-kind ruling.

The video in question had been removed from the site when the NY Post contacted Tumblr in March 2017. Representatives of the website did not appear for the ruling leaving the victim's lawyer to claim "Tumblr hasn't taken the matter seriously".

Following the ruling the 27-year-old female claimed: "It's good news. Now they can't hide behind a computer anymore."

IBTimes UK has contacted Tumblr for comment and will update this story.