The Defense Department is looking into different websites and online outlets through which members of the armed forces have shared nude photographs of women and now men with many taken without their knowledge or permission. The investigation started out with just the Marines, but has spread to all branches of the military. It also started out with just female military personnel but has also spread to males and gays in the military.
This is mostly a “revenge porn” scandal that expanded to include gay service members. Military investigators have discovered images of soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines with some wearing uniforms on which their nametags are visible and other times engaging in explicit sexual activity such as gay Tumblr pages and other social media sites.
Investigators are unsure how many of the images were shared without the knowledge or permission of the person depicted or how many of the men in the images remain on active duty. A Marines spokesman said at least one man came forward to say he did not agree to have his image posted on the Tumblr page where it was discovered.
- A website, titled Anon-IB gained notoriety for publishing nude photographs of celebrities, such as Jennifer Lawrence.
- A 30,000-strong Facebook group called Marines United was taken offline. MU members shared pictures of female service members naked or engaged in sex. Although initially membership was restricted to U.S. Marines, Fleet Marine Force Corpsman and British Royal Marines, the group eventually expanded to include members from all branches of the service.
- Members formed another group: MU2. When that group, too, was shut down, they formed MU3.
Those appearing in the images could face action even though they have been victimized. Although gay men may serve openly in the U.S. Armed Forces, exposing themselves or appearing in sexually explicit images while wearing a uniform or parts of a uniform is prohibited by military law. Punishment can include court martial if the service member can be identified.
Military investigators have said they are attempting to identify both male and female victims of the revenge-porn operation using facial-recognition software. Those military on Facebook and other social media sites may want to think again about allowing tagging.
