Utah statute
Utah Code Ann. § 76-5c-204 — Inducing acceptance of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material.
Current through 2026 General Session
Part of Part 2: General Offenses, Utah Code.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Utah Code Ann. § 76-5c-204
Statutory text current through the 2026 General Session. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Utah.
(1) Terms defined in Sections 76-1-101.5, 76-5c-101, and 76-5c-201 apply to this section. (2) An actor commits inducing acceptance of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material if the actor knowingly: (2)(a) requires or demands as a condition to a sale, allocation, consignment, or delivery for resale of any newspaper, magazine, periodical, book, publication, or other merchandise that the purchaser or consignee receive any pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material or material reasonably believed by the purchaser or consignee to be pornographic or obscene animal abuse material; or (2)(b) denies, revokes, or threatens to deny or revoke a franchise, or to impose any penalty, financial or otherwise, because of the failure or refusal to accept pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material or material reasonably believed by the purchaser or consignee to be pornographic or obscene animal abuse material. (3) A violation of Subsection (2) is a third degree felony subject to: (3)(a) a minimum mandatory fine of not less than $1,000 plus $10 for each article exhibited up to the maximum allowed by law; and (3)(b) incarceration, without suspension of sentence in any way, for a term of not less than 30 days. (4)(a) This section does not apply to an internet service provider if: (4)(a)(i) the distribution of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material by the internet service provider occurs only incidentally through the internet service provider's function of: (4)(a)(i)(A) transmitting or routing data from one person to another person; or (4)(a)(i)(B) providing a connection between one person and another person; (4)(a)(ii) the internet service provider does not intentionally aid or abet in the distribution of the pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material; and (4)(a)(iii) the internet service provider does not knowingly receive funds from or through a person who distributes the pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material in exchange for permitting the person to distribute the pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material. (4)(b) This section does not apply to a hosting company if: (4)(b)(i) the distribution of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material by the hosting company occurs only incidentally through the hosting company's function of providing data storage space or data caching to a person; (4)(b)(ii) the hosting company does not intentionally engage, aid, or abet in the distribution of the pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material; and (4)(b)(iii) the hosting company does not knowingly receive funds from or through a person who distributes the pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material in exchange for permitting the person to distribute, store, or cache the pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material. (5) Subsection (3) supersedes Section 77-18-105.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is inducing acceptance of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material a felony or a misdemeanor in Utah?
Inducing acceptance of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material is a Third Degree Felony in Utah under Utah Code Ann. § 76-5c-204.
Which Utah statute covers inducing acceptance of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material?
Inducing acceptance of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material is governed by Utah Code Ann. § 76-5c-204 (Inducing acceptance of pornographic material or obscene animal abuse material).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.