Nonconsensual pornography refers to the distribution of sexual or pornographic images of individuals without their consent. This may include images taken without consent or images taken with consent but later distributed without the consent of those in the images. These images are sometimes referred to as revenge porn.[1]
In March 2022, as part of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, Congress first passed a federal law on this subject, allowing an individual to file a federal lawsuit against a person who disclosed intimate images without the individual's consent.[2] The Communications Decency Act, a federal law passed in 1996 regulating pornography on the internet, protects websites and service providers from liability for content posted by users that they are not co-creators of. According to Section 230 of the Act, operators of internet services and websites are not considered publishers of content their users post. As such, websites and service providers have no legal obligation to remove nonconsensual pornography unless it otherwise violates copyright or federal criminal laws.[1][3]
HIGHLIGHTS
As of June 2025, all 50 states and Washington D.C. had passed laws prohibiting the distribution or production of nonconsensual pornography.
State laws
The map below shows the status of state nonconsensual pornography laws as of June 2025. The table below provides links to state laws.
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