Someone has put a video or photo of me on the internet that shows me in a compromising position, what can I do?

This type of incident is sometimes referred to as 'Revenge Porn'.

The law in this area will change in 2015 as part of The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, which has a specific amendment dealing with such actions.

Until this law receives royal assent unless the video or photo is of an indecent nature and of a child or of a criminal offence then the police will not get involved.

If the photo/video is for example, on one of the social networking websites, you could speak to the administrator of the internet site who may remove the material.

Otherwise you would need to obtain a restraining order from the courts to order the removal of the material. You should seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau or a solicitor about this matter.

With regards to showing video footage of you without your permission, if you are over 18, the footage needs to be classed as obscene (the legal threshold of what is obscene is quite high and would not normally cover what could be classed as merely offensive), if you are under 18 then the footage needs to be classed as indecent before the police can become involved.

The new law classes revenge porn as "photographs or films which show people engaged in sexual activity or depicted in a sexual way or with their genitals exposed, where what is shown would not usually be seen in public".

The amendment covers images sent on social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, and those sent by text.

It covers images shared on and offline without the subject's permission and with the intent to cause harm. Physical distribution of images will also be covered.

If you believe that you have been a victim of 'Revenge Porn' and that the police are in a position to take further action please contact us by telephone on 101.