Statutes: Rhode Island

(a) A person is guilty of unauthorized dissemination of a sexually explicit visual image of another person when the person intentionally, by any means, disseminates, publishes, or sells:

(1) A visual image that depicts another identifiable person eighteen (18) years or older engaged in sexually explicit conduct or of the intimate areas of that person;

(2) The visual image was made, captured, recorded, or obtained under circumstances in which a reasonable person would know or understand that the image was to remain private;

(3) The visual image was disseminated, published, or sold without the consent of the depicted person; and

(4) With knowledge or with reckless disregard for the likelihood that the depicted person will suffer harm, or with the intent to harass, intimidate, threaten, or coerce the depicted person.

(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to:

(1) A visual image that involves voluntary exposure of intimate areas or of sexually explicit conduct in a public or commercial setting, or in a place where a person does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy;

(2) Dissemination made in the public interest, scientific activities, or educational activities;

(3) Dissemination made in the course of a lawful public proceeding;

(4) Dissemination made for purposes of law enforcement, criminal reporting, corrections, legal proceedings, the reporting of unlawful conduct, or for medical treatment; or

(5) Dissemination of an image that constitutes a matter of public concern, such as a matter related to a newsworthy event or related to a public figure.

(c) For the purposes of this section, “intimate areas” means the naked genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or any portion of the female breast below the top of the areola of a person that the person intended to protect from public view.

(d) A first violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to imprisonment of not more than one year, a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both. A second or subsequent violation of this section shall be a felony and, upon conviction, subject to imprisonment for not more than three (3) years, a fine of not more than three thousand dollars ($3,000), or both.

(e) Any person who intentionally threatens to disclose any visual image described in subsection (a) and makes the threat to obtain a benefit in return for not making the disclosure or in connection with the threatened disclosure, shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, be subject to imprisonment for up to five (5) years, a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

(f) Any person who demands payment of money, property, services, or anything else of value from a person in exchange for removing any visual image described in subsection (a) from public view shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, be subject to imprisonment for up to five (5) years, a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

(g) Those in violation of this section shall not be subject to sex offender registration requirements as set forth in chapter 37.1 of title 11 entitled “Sexual Offender Registration and Community Notification Act.”

(h) A violation of this section is committed within this state if any conduct that is an element of the offense, or any harm to the depicted person resulting from the offense, occurs in this state.

(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose liability on an interactive computer service, as defined in 47 U.S.C. § 230(f)(2), an information service, as defined in 47 U.S.C. § 153, or a telecommunications service, as defined in § 44-18-7.1, for content provided by another person.