Tougher penalties are coming for individuals who perform revenge porn by publishing ‘intimate images’ of somebody with out their permission. Publishing ‘intimate images’ of individuals underneath the age of 18 will entice extra stringent sanctions of as much as 20 years’ imprisonment upon conviction.
Debate began yesterday in Gordon House on amendments to the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2026. The debate was suspended and can resume subsequent week.
“These amendments are not abstract. They are citizen focused. They are meant for the young person whose image is weaponised. The family defrauded through impersonation. The small business targeted from abroad. And the Jamaican who wakes up to discover that their life has been digitally forged, posted, and distributed at scale,” Dr Andrew Wheatley, minister with out portfolio with duty for science and know-how, stated whereas piloting the invoice yesterday.
The proposed statute defines “intimate image” to incorporate content material that’s captured, generated, or created. The definition of ‘publish’ within the invoice means sending, transferring, posting, disseminating, or in any other case offering entry.
Wheatley stated the amendments deal with stronger safety for individuals, particularly youngsters; sharper instruments for regulation enforcement and prosecutors; and up to date definitions and offences that mirror how hurt now travels by digital platforms.
The invoice, in keeping with Wheatley, additionally strengthens the present framework in opposition to banking fraud and scamming actions.
“It does not merely chase the individual scammer after the money is gone. It targets the enablers – the tools, the infrastructure, and the environments that make organised cyber-fraud profitable,” he stated.
CLAUSE 6 OF THE BILL
He stated Clause 6 of the invoice tightens offences across the illegal availability, distribution, or possession of gadgets, knowledge, and keys designed or tailored primarily for committing cyber offences.
Wheatley stated too many Jamaicans have had their bank accounts focused by phishing and impersonation, fee diversion, account takeovers, SIM-swap-style techniques, and social engineering that now spreads at scale by messaging apps and social media.
While indicating his assist for the invoice, Opposition Leader Mark Golding expressed disappointment that the proposed statute didn’t fulsomely handle challenges caused by synthetic intelligence (AI).
The amendments now being debated earlier than Parliament fashioned a part of a raft of suggestions made by a joint choose committee, which reviewed the guardian regulation in 2023.
“The law needs to more fulsomely protect persons’ images, their reputations, and the use of their appearance and their voice and other biological manifestations through manipulation to denigrate them,” Golding stated.
Arguing that the invoice was dated, Golding stated it didn’t handle probably the most urgent issues which have emerged within the final three years by AI.
He needs the Government to present a dedication to maneuver quickly to convene one other joint choose committee to replace the laws to handle the urgent points which have arisen by AI.