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posted by janrinok on Friday January 30 2015, @11:57PM   Printer-friendly
from the a-point-well-made dept.

We've all heard stories about nude pictures being stolen and posted on the internet, the Devastating and life altering affects it can have, and how common it has become.

The CBC has an article about a Danish student who has responded to the theft of her nude photos in a very interesting way, by releasing images of her own.

Danish student Emma Holten felt violated when a hacker raided her email and posted her private nude photos for thousands to see online.

In a surprising twist, however, she took a step which she said was empowering—though it may sound counterproductive at first blush.

"I took new photos of myself topless in everyday situations," she told CBC Radio's The Current, explaining the images were "un-sexualized," as a way to "challenge the way with which we see the female body, and accentuate the difference between consent and non-consent."

Holten wrote an accompanying essay, titled Consent, in which she argued that nudity was not the major issue.

Part of the thrill, she learned, was with the "sexualization of non-consent," in which online tormentors and attempted blackmailers "enjoyed that I was in pain and that it was humiliating for me."

"I don't see a problem with being naked on the internet, that's not where the problem lies," Holten explained. "The problem lies with the fact that my consent has been violated."

The Guardian has a video of her explaining her project [NSFW]

You can read her essay here [NSFW]

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  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @12:38AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @12:38AM (#139689)

    I'll show the world I'm not a giant slut by "pretending" to be a giant slut under the guise of female empowerment!

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @12:52AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @12:52AM (#139692)

      Pretty sure it's not about proving anything to anyone. She's reframing being exposed non-consensually as giving consensually.

      Some of the best people are sluts.

      "Like your parents."

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by SlimmPickens on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:37AM

      by SlimmPickens (1056) on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:37AM (#139697)

      Whatever. It's clearly an issue for her, it doesn't really matter if what she does to make peace with herself and get on with her life is nonsensical.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @02:08AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @02:08AM (#139705)

      It's about ethics in gaming journalism.

    • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Kell on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:24AM

      by Kell (292) on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:24AM (#139720)

      The whole point of this 'revenge porn' stuff is that exes are trying to get even with former partners - that is, the person who sent the picture was doing so to someone they were in a relationship with at the time. I fail to see how sending naked photos of yourself to your partner at the time is 'slutty' behaviour. If you're in a relationship with someone (and perhaps separated by distance) it can be a very nice thing for them to send you an intimate pic to lift your spirits, and vice versa. If it turns out that after you split with them, they become a total dick who wants to post that sort of private correspondance on the web, how is that your fault? You weren't being slutty when you took the pics; how does someone posting them on the web somehow make it slutty? It doesn't matter the gender - if someone posts your private pics on the web without your consent, they're the one being sleazy and the only person worthy of blame.
       
      And before anyone chimes in saying that this is just punishment for cheaters or people who have agreived their exes in some way, they can damn well grow up. Real adults recognise that cheaters and heartbreakers aren't worth the time invested in them, and move on to find someone who will respect them and be worthy of their love. Sure, it hurts - that's life. But trying to get even with your ex is schoolyard mentality.

      --
      Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
      • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:45AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:45AM (#139724)

        This wasn't even a case of revenge porn. Although the consequences are certainly similar.

        Someone hacked her email and Facebook accounts, and stole the images from her sent items folder.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by tibman on Saturday January 31 2015, @05:07AM

      by tibman (134) Subscriber Badge on Saturday January 31 2015, @05:07AM (#139740)

      Being naked is being a slut? Very 1800's of you.

      --
      SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
      • (Score: 5, Insightful) by davester666 on Saturday January 31 2015, @08:25AM

        by davester666 (155) on Saturday January 31 2015, @08:25AM (#139770)

        or very 2015 of you, if you live in the US.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @08:56AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @08:56AM (#139776)

      An article about women, of course there's slut shaming. Protip: she's less of a filthy slut than your mom. That's right - your mom is a dirty slut; how else could she get pregnant?

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @12:56AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @12:56AM (#139693)

    There's a comedienne that's a middle-aged mom who has a routine about this sort of thing.
    Basically, she says if she had the kind of body that folks would comment about, she's be buck naked in the frozen food aisle every day. [google.com]

    -- gewg_

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Subsentient on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:15AM

    by Subsentient (1111) on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:15AM (#139694) Homepage Journal

    I have nothing but respect for this girl and hold nothing but good intentions, although I admit I enjoyed viewing the photos she made available in the video in TFA.

    --
    "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti
    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:27AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:27AM (#139695)

      Leaked photos here [twimg.com]

      • (Score: 4, Funny) by tynin on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:38AM

        by tynin (2013) on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:38AM (#139698) Journal

        Pics! It did happen!

        UGH...

      • (Score: 2) by Subsentient on Saturday January 31 2015, @04:21AM

        by Subsentient (1111) on Saturday January 31 2015, @04:21AM (#139735) Homepage Journal

        Not going to click. I'm a better person than you.

        --
        "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:57AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:57AM (#139728)

      That is creepy. The point is to un-sexualize the female form outside of a sexual context. It isn't respect to ignore the message.

      • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @06:31AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @06:31AM (#139751)

        Why should someone not enjoy the pictures she released of herself? Why does expressing enjoyment of her pics mean the enjoyment was sexual?

        Maybe he enjoyed the pics for their artistic merrit. Even if he didn't, She is certainly a beautiful woman, so why is his appreciation wrong?

        As she expressed in her essay, the issue is not the nudity, or even male appreciation of her body. The issue is the sexual excitement some people get from violating her privacy, by viewing the images released without her concent.

        The topless pics she published are about as non-sexual as it's possible for topless pics to be. The fact that a man cannot express appreciation of her photos in any way without being villainized is almost as sad as the fact that so many people go looking for voyeuristic pics in the first place.

        Anyway, good for her for finding a way to re-write the narrative around her ordeal. I think the way she has framed the issue, with her emphasis on concent, will help focus the discussion of the issue.

        She has already helped lots of other victims cope better with their own ordeals, and that can only be a good thing.

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:32AM

    by PinkyGigglebrain (4458) on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:32AM (#139696)

    An articulate and thoughtful essay.. She has better grammar and punctuation than many of the comments I've seen on the Internet. Plus she makes some excellent points. This young Lady has shown more way more integrity and class than those who tried, and are trying, to harass her.

    Most people don't know, or forget, that there is a subtle and important difference between "nude" and "naked". "Naked" also means "defenseless" and "vulnerable" with connotations of being a victim. While "nude" simply means "without cloths or cover" or "in a natural state".

     

    --
    "Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by patrick on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:44AM

    by patrick (3990) on Saturday January 31 2015, @01:44AM (#139700)

    It's all about a person's consent in giving up something private. From individuals hacking others, to governments collecting data: the conversation needs to be around defining consent and privacy and protecting those definitions. Everything else is just noise.

    She is one of the few people that gets to the heart of the issue, and talks about what it really is.

    • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Saturday January 31 2015, @02:54AM

      by NotSanguine (285) <NotSanguineNO@SPAMSoylentNews.Org> on Saturday January 31 2015, @02:54AM (#139714) Homepage Journal

      It's all about a person's consent

      That's exactly right, Patrick. Consent is definitely the issue here. When this woman chooses to post her photos it's one thing. When someone usurps that consent, whether it be a hacker, and ex-lover or the government, we should all feel violated IMHO.

      --
      No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
    • (Score: 2) by Joe Desertrat on Monday February 02 2015, @03:39AM

      by Joe Desertrat (2454) on Monday February 02 2015, @03:39AM (#140192)

      So this is an intellectual property issue?

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:03AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:03AM (#139715)

    You can't steal something from someone if they retain a copy of it. Just like ripping an mp3, the hackers would have been on high moral ground if they had appropriated the pictures, but not shared them.

    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:42AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:42AM (#139723)

      There is no moral "high ground" possible when you hack someone's private email and steal their privacy. Regardless of if you share the images or not, it is still a violation, no different from a peeping tom.

      Making a comparison to the fair use arguments around ripping mp3s shows a disturbing lack of understanding of the damage this can do. I suggest you educate yourself. A little empathy wouldn't hurt either.

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Inops on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:06AM

    by Inops (4366) on Saturday January 31 2015, @03:06AM (#139716)

    Great, someone just has to steal her credit card information and leak it. She'll single-handly solve world hunger by responding via breaking the taboo on the privacy of banking information.

  • (Score: 5, Interesting) by janrinok on Saturday January 31 2015, @02:37PM

    by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Saturday January 31 2015, @02:37PM (#139817) Journal

    As the Editor, I felt that I had to keep the 'NSFW' markings that were provided in the original story submission, although the very fact that they are necessary proves to me that she has a valid point. Nudity is a common state - we are all born nude. The very fact that some find nudity offensive or embarrassing seems, to me, to be bizarre. The wearing of clothes for practical reasons - for example, to protect the wearer from the environment - does not mean that the human body suddenly becomes something that should never be seen. She was not and is not ashamed of her body, nor should she be. The poses are not of a sexual nature in my opinion. And the fact that she has given her consent to them removes the possibility of them being published as a means of embarrassment in the future. The problem with the original photos was more to do with her lack of consent rather than the content of the images.

    It is a great pity that many seem to be locked into the 1800's attitude where even uncovering the legs of a table was deemed to be improper and suggestive. We make huge technological progress almost daily yet insist on maintaining a Victorian mental straitjacket lest our children see the state in which they entered the world.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @04:11PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @04:11PM (#139831)

      It is a great pity that many seem to be locked into the 1800's attitude where even uncovering the legs of a table was deemed to be improper and suggestive. We make huge technological progress almost daily yet insist on maintaining a Victorian mental straitjacket lest our children see the state in which they entered the world.

      Yeah, it's such a shame that we haven't yet made enough social progress to wallow in a bonoboesque orgy all day.

      But don't worry, if Huxley's projections are correct everyone will belong to everyone else soon.

      • (Score: 2) by janrinok on Saturday January 31 2015, @07:24PM

        by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Saturday January 31 2015, @07:24PM (#139878) Journal

        I didn't suggest that we ought to "wallow in a bonoboesque orgy", which would be a sexualization of the naked form (and the very thing that the writer was commenting on), merely that we should not be so hung up about nudity or the human body. I don't consider that being ashamed of one's body is an indication of progress.

    • (Score: 2) by Techwolf on Saturday January 31 2015, @11:37PM

      by Techwolf (87) on Saturday January 31 2015, @11:37PM (#139922)

      Where is the "+1 common sence" mod. :-)

    • (Score: 3, Informative) by jdccdevel on Sunday February 01 2015, @05:42AM

      by jdccdevel (1329) on Sunday February 01 2015, @05:42AM (#139990) Journal

      As the submitter of the story, I debated the NSFW tags myself.

      The main reason I put them in was to give the readers warning, so that they didn't stumble upon the pictures unexpectedly.

      Like it or not, some workplaces have rules about viewing certain content on work time, and some people might be surprised by the picture at the top of her essay.

      Although I didn't find the pictures inappropriate, I do respect the fact that some people might not want to view them, for whatever reason (yet they might still want to read her essay). Just because I don't share that view, doesn't mean I can't understand and respect it.

      Would the world be a better place if topless pictures didn't offend anyone? Almost certainly it would be, and there are definitely some that get offended far to easily.

      One thing I do know is the world is a better place when people get enough warning that they can choose what to see for themselves.

       

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @04:23PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @04:23PM (#139832)

    "To fight the man-scum I shot and released my own nudes. Oh, but they're not included with this essay. Or linked from this essay. Or readily available as a complete set in their original resolution anywhere on the web. That'll teach 'em."

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @06:03PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 31 2015, @06:03PM (#139860)

      They're at the end of the video, and linked off the end of the essay. If you want to find them, no one is hiding them from you.

      The article is more about the essay anyway, it's not like there is a shortage of topless pics on the net.