Lucy Hale, star of Pretty Little Liars, is the latest celebrity victim of a photo hack. Wednesday afternoon, a series of topless pictures of Hale appeared on the graphic website Celebrity Jihad. According to Gossip Cop, Hale's lawyer has already reached out to the website to demand their removal, but as of this evening, the photos are still online.
The images appear in a series of messages between Hale and a friend — they are captured in screenshots on the site. The actress is recognizable by a tattoo on her upper ribs which reads, "courage, dear heart."
Reps for Hale did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the hack.
Why does this keep happening? Earlier this month, Maisie Williams, the young star of Game of Thrones, found herself in the same situation. In September, it was Emma Watson. Then there was the Great Celebrity Photo Hack of 2014, which eventually put 36-year-old Ryan Collins in prison for 18 months. He'd gotten his fingers on photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Avril Lavigne, Gabrielle Union, and Rihanna.
The images of Hale feature glimpses at the actress' breasts. Regardless of how much they reveal, the images are not for public consumption. The line between private and public property can seem tenuous in the digital age, but this one thing should be clear: Your photos are your own.