Unlawful dissemination or sale of images of another (including synthetic images)
VA intimate images
Other · Artificial intelligence
Criminalizes maliciously disseminating or selling nude or sexual images of another person without authorization, with intent to coerce, harass, or intimidate. Since 2019 the section covers images 'created by any means whatsoever', which reaches AI-generated or altered deepfake images.
- Where
- Virginia
- Citation
- Va. Code § 18.2-386.2
- Status
- In force
- In force since
- 2014-07-01
- Last amended
- 2024-07-01
- Enforced by
- Criminal prosecution
- People can sue
- No
- Penalties
- Class 1 misdemeanor (18.2-386.2(A)).
- Applies to
- Any person who maliciously disseminates or sells nude, partially nude, or obscene images of another, including images 'created by any means whatsoever', with intent to coerce, harass, or intimidate (18.2-386.2(A))
- Internet and email service providers are not liable for others' content (18.2-386.2(B))
Practices it requires
- Do not maliciously disseminate or sell nude, partially nude, or obscene images of another person, however created, without authorization and with intent to coerce, harass, or intimidate.Va. Code § 18.2-386.2(A)
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.
Unverified: Effective dates inferred from Virginia's default July 1 effective date for regular-session acts (history notes); enacting bill pages not checked. History: 2014, c. 399; 2019, cc. 490, 515; 2024, c. 697. Attribution of the 'created by any means' language to 2019 is from secondary reporting and was not checked against the 2019 acts.
Research reference, not legal advice.