Sponsors (2)
The bill creates a new federal civil remedy (including against deepfakes and with privacy protections for minors) that increases accountability for senders of nonconsensual intimate images, but its limited coverage, low statutory damages, and reliance on federal courts may leave many victims—especially low‑income people and those harmed by public postings—without adequate relief.
Survivors (including minors through guardians) can sue people who knowingly or recklessly share nonconsensual intimate images and obtain injunctions, attorneys' fees, and compensation, creating a private federal remedy and potential deterrent.
The definition explicitly covers AI-generated 'intimate digital forgeries' (deepfakes), extending protections to people targeted by synthetic sexual images.
Minors can proceed in litigation using initials or pseudonyms, helping protect their privacy and reduce additional harm during civil cases.
People whose images are shared via public posting (rather than direct transmission) may be excluded from this federal civil remedy, leaving many victims without relief under this law.
Enforcement in federal court could create access barriers for low‑income victims—litigation costs and federal jurisdictional limits may prevent many from bringing suits despite fee‑shifting.
Statutory damages are capped at $1,000, which may undercompensate victims for emotional distress and other harms caused by nonconsensual intimate-image distribution.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal private right to sue senders who knowingly or recklessly transmit unsolicited intimate images or AI forgeries without consent, with damages and injunctive relief.
Official title: To establish a private right of action against a person who transmits unsolicited intimate visual depictions.
Introduced June 4, 2026 by Jennifer McClellan · Last progress June 4, 2026
Creates a private civil right for people who receive unsolicited intimate images or videos — including AI-generated “intimate digital forgeries” — sent without their consent across state or international lines. The law lets recipients (or guardians for minors/incapacitated people) sue senders who knowingly or recklessly transmit such intimate depictions, recover up to $1,000 in statutory damages or emotional distress compensation, attorneys’ fees and costs, and seek injunctive relief, while preserving specified exemptions for good‑faith medical, educational, and law enforcement transmissions and protecting First Amendment considerations.