What is the ruling on illustrated jokes circulated on social media for entertainment, and does the ruling differ if the images are of men or women?

Publishing fabricated jokes is forbidden (haram). However, there is no harm in publishing jokes that actually occurred, provided they do not denigrate anyone. Publishing pictures of individuals with jokes superimposed on them, with the intention of amusement, is a form of denigration and backbiting (gheebah), and the prohibition becomes more severe if the picture is of a woman. Nevertheless, this is permissible if the person is a transgressor (fasiq), and there is a legitimate Islamic benefit in denigrating them and deterring people from them, while avoiding the publication of pictures of their women.