About Those Photos…

Too many know the feeling, a knot down in the pit of your stomach, as you realize that someone you don’t know, or worse yet, someone such as a parent, has seen pictures of you naked. Granted, for many people, it’s no big deal. When one cultivates an atmosphere of openness and honesty, the images can be seen for what they are: expressions of art, positivity, and intimacy. But no matter how carefully one curates their photographs, mistakes still happen, and when they do, jobs and lives may be put at risk.

Such was the case this past week when it was revealed that a major website developer, M.A.D. Mobile, was storing 1.5 million images on an unprotected server. Anyone with the address could open, look at the images, and download them without needing any kind of password. Kink sites BDSM People and Chica, and LGBT apps Pink, Brish, and Translove were affected. Altogether, the accounts of roughly 800,000 – 900,000 people were compromised.

M.A.D Mobile was first warned about the security flaw on 20 January but didn’t take action until the BBC emailed on Friday. They have since fixed it but not said how it happened or why they failed to protect the sensitive images.

Ethical hacker Aras Nazarovas from Cybernews first alerted the firm about the security hole after finding the location of the online storage used by the apps by analysing the code that powers the services. He was shocked that he could access the unencrypted and unprotected photos without any password.

“The first app I investigated was BDSM People, and the first image in the folder was a naked man in his thirties,” he said. “As soon as I saw it I realised that this folder should not have been public.”

The images were not limited to those from profiles, he said – they included pictures which had been sent privately in messages, and even some which had been removed by moderators.

None of the text content of private messages was found to be stored in this way, and the images are not labelled with user names or real names, which would make crafting targeted attacks at users more complex.

There’s no guarantee that Mr Nazarovas was the only hacker to have found the image stash. When a system is open, such as these were, there’s often no way to track who saw the images in question or what they might do with them. They could easily show up on other adult-oriented websites without the original owner’s knowledge. They could potentially be sold as content on certain websites, an act that, if caught, can be prosecuted in most states.

In a fair and just world, such images would be seen for the beauty and self-expression they possess. Ours is not a fair and just world. There are still several countries where LGBTQIA+ activities are not merely forbidden but can result in extreme punishments, including the death penalty. A photo as simple as two people of the same gender kissing can get both people in a lot of trouble.

There’s also the body shaming aspect that often occurs even when no nudity is involved. Just this past week, US Rep. Jasmine Crockett was called on the carpet for calling Texas Governor Greg Abbot, ‘Governor Hotwheels.’ While promoting his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, Health and Human Services Secretary. Kennedy suggested that Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R-West Virginia) should have public weigh-ins with a celebration when he loses 30 pounds.

Neither instance should ever be considered acceptable under any circumstances. Medical issues, including the medicines we take, alter our bodies in many different ways. Criticizing, demonizing, or making fun of someone for any body issue is not acceptable and should be stopped. When a person is posing without clothes, they become even more of a target to such unkind and unnecessary criticism.

When practiced safely, sanely, and consensually (often referred to by acronyms like SSC or RACK – Risk-Aware Consensual Kink), exploring sexual kinks can offer several benefits for individuals and relationships. Engaging in kink often requires explicit, detailed communication about desires, boundaries, fantasies, and safety protocols (like safe words). This level of negotiation can build deeper trust, vulnerability, and understanding between partners. Exploring kinks can be a journey of self-discovery, helping individuals understand and accept their own unique sexuality without shame. It can be empowering to own one’s desires.

For some, exploring themes like power dynamics (e.g., dominance and submission in BDSM) within a safe, consensual container can be psychologically therapeutic, allowing them to work through issues related to control, trust, or surrender in a contained way. These are just a few of the positive outcomes from exploring sexual alternatives and finding enhanced beauty, acceptance, and intimacy.

Unfortunately, as long as people with draconian ideas of sex and intimacy are present, such activities can put those involved at risk. Never mind that, “what I do on my own time is my business.” Many employers feel that allowing such images to become public shows poor judgment and immoral behavior. The fact that, as in this case, the photos were never meant to be seen by the employer holds no effect on the decision.

People are still encouraged to explore, try new and different things, take pictures of the things that make you happy, and enjoy life. Unfortunately, sharing those images on dating apps and other poorly-managed online sites is probably something best avoided.