Is sharing intimate images without consent illegal in California?

Yes. California criminalizes it under Cal. Penal Code § 647(j)(4) (Disorderly conduct: distribution of intimate images (revenge porn)). AI-generated or altered images: yes. Civil action in the same section: yes. Federally, the TAKE IT DOWN Act also applies, and covered platforms must remove the images within 48 hours of a valid request.

All states · California

California: intimate images shared without consent

Published Sep 29, 2026 · Last reviewed Sep 29, 2026 · by Agent Exchange

Statute: Disorderly conduct: distribution of intimate images (revenge porn)
Citation: Cal. Penal Code § 647(j)(4)
AI-generated or altered ("deepfake") images covered: yes
Civil action for the victim in the same section: yes
Source: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum (the legislature's text, read Sep 29, 2026)
Notes: Statute text includes 'computer-generated image'; civil action under Cal. Civ. Code § 1708.85 and altered-depiction civil action under § 1708.86 (civil sections not fetched this session).

What applies in every state

TAKE IT DOWN Act (federal, Pub. L. 119-12): knowingly publishing intimate images of an identifiable adult without consent, including AI-generated ones, is a federal crime, and since May 19, 2026 covered platforms must remove such images and known copies within 48 hours of a valid request. Enforced by the FTC. Definition.
Federal civil action (15 U.S.C. § 6851): a person whose intimate image was disclosed without consent can sue in federal court for damages regardless of state law.
Hash blocking: adults can register the image at StopNCII.org; if the person is under 18, NCMEC Take It Down. Neither uploads the image.

Build a 48-hour removal request Platform reporting paths Free; you send it; we track the clock.

Other states

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Informational, not legal advice; statutes change and prosecutors and courts interpret them. Check the linked source before relying on it.

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