Websites focused on the involuntary publication of nude photos already had the attention of lawmakers in recent years, even before last month's leak of stolen photos of various celebrities. Now the United Kingdom is ready to pass the first national law banning the practice, making it punishable by up to two years in jail.

"The fact that there are individuals who are cruelly distributing intimate pictures of their former partners without their consent is almost beyond belief," said Justice Secretary Chris Grayling in a statement. "We want those who fall victim to this type of disgusting behavior to know that we are on their side and will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice."

Grayling's statement also notes that depending on circumstances, distribution of nude photos without a subject's consent may already violate other British laws, including the Communications Act of 2003.

The UK government intends to add revenge porn rules to a more general Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, which is currently working its way through Parliament. If the amendment sticks, it could become law within weeks, reports The Daily Telegraph. In addition to covering websites, the law includes photos shared via e-mail, text message, or even on paper.

The former culture secretary Maria Miller was a driving force behind the new law, notes The Guardian. The paper added that "others have argued that the problem is already covered by existing laws against obscenity or blackmail."

In the US, California passed a law specifically targeted at "revenge porn" in October, and several other states have followed suit. The California law allows for fines and up to six months jail time per offense. Revenge porn is certainly a controversial corner of the Internet, but the new laws to fight it haven't been universally acclaimed either. The American Civil Liberties Union has said that there's a First Amendment problem with some of the laws, and it has filed suit to challenge Arizona's version, saying that it's too broad and could harm legitimate bookstores and publishers.

The involuntary posting of nude photos is called "revenge porn" because the photos are sometimes shared by jilted lovers. However, the sites in question also featured photos that were said to be acquired in other ways, including hack attacks.