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New York statute

N.Y. Penal Law § 250.71 — Unlawful dissemination of a personal image

Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)

Part of Article 250: Offenses Against the Right to Privacy, New York Penal Law.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 250.71

Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.

N.Y. Penal Law § 250.71Primary source, current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
250.71 Unlawful dissemination of a personal image. A person is guilty of unlawful dissemination of a personal image when, with the intent of degrading or abusing a person who has been the victim of a crime described in title H of this part, or otherwise causing harm to the emotional, financial or physical welfare of such victim or such victim's family, the person intentionally: 1. (a) creates and disseminates or publishes a still or video image of such victim on a social media platform, without the victim's consent, in a manner that has no or minimal cultural or social value; (b) the victim is identifiable from the still or video image itself or from information displayed in connection with the still or video image; (c) the victim suffered physical injury as a result of a sex offense as defined by article one hundred thirty of this part, serious physical injury as a result of any non-sex offense, or death, and this injury or death is depicted in the image; and (d) the actor committed, participated in the commission of, or conspired to commit the crime that resulted in such injury to such victim; or 2. acting as an agent of the actor who created an image in violation of subdivision one of this section, he or she knowingly disseminates or publishes such image. Unlawful dissemination of a personal image in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

What class of misdemeanor is unlawful dissemination of a personal image in New York?

Unlawful dissemination of a personal image is a Class A Misdemeanor in New York under N.Y. Penal Law § 250.71.

Which New York statute covers unlawful dissemination of a personal image?

Unlawful dissemination of a personal image is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 250.71 (Unlawful dissemination of a personal image).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.