Austria decides to prohibit: Unresty Dickpics will be punishable!

Austria decides to prohibit: Unresty Dickpics will be punishable!

Österreich - The Federal Government decided on Wednesday to prohibit the unsolicited transmission of penis images on Wednesday. This law, which is due to come into force on September 1, 2025, aims to make the unwanted sending of Dickpics (images of male genitals) punishable. Justice Minister Anna Sporrer (SPÖ) described this step as "long overdue". According to oe24.at, sending such images is regarded as an invasive attack in privacy, which often triggers trouble, helplessness, disgust and pubic.

The planned law stipulates that the unsolicited transmission of genital images is punishable if it is associated with nuisance. However, consensual transmission remain unaffected. This means that the mere presence on a dating platform is not considered to be consent. All forms of electronic communication, including SMS, MMS, e-mails, immediate messages and postings, as well as broadcasts via Airdrop or Bluetooth are affected. If the genital images are transmitted multiple times, a stricter fact such as stalking may be used, which is a serious legal consequence.

legal framework conditions

The parliamentary process for the implementation of this regulation now starts. The assessment period for the planned change in paragraph 218 of the Criminal Code (StGB) ends on Friday. As reported [5min.at] (https://www.5min.at/5202506050835/dick-pics-bald-strafbar-ab-dann-soll-das-berbot-iegen.

The Austrian Chamber of Lawyers (ÖRAK) expressed concerns about a possible "excessive criminalization", especially among young people. The chamber asked the question of whether the sending of a single image was sufficient to justify criminal liability because the sender can be blocked. The ÖRAK also points out that existing paragraphs cover similar acts.

background and social relevance

Protection against digital harassment has gained importance in recent years. Media could be observed that the increase in unwanted sexual images is a serious challenge. The project in Austria could serve as a signal for other countries. The reformed child and youth media protection, as was established in Germany by the Youth Protection Act, also shows the importance of protecting personal integrities in the digital space. In the context of the German regulations that deal with cybergrooming and cyberbullying, it becomes clear how important such laws are in order to minimize risks on the Internet, as is carried out on [https://kiefrungt--issehmt.de/themen/recht/recht-freichen-digitales).

Overall, the planned thick PIC ban is not only a legal step, but also a social initiative to promote a more respectful and safer digital environment.