Discreetly

    Revenge Porn Laws in Missouri (2026): Your Rights and What to Do

    Missouri makes nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images a felony under § 573.110 and, unusually, builds a private civil cause of action directly into the same statute so victims can sue without relying on a separate law. The statute is written around real photographs and recordings, so it likely only partially reaches purely AI-generated images.

    Missouri at a Glance

    Statute
    Nonconsensual Dissemination of Private Sexual Images — Mo. Rev. Stat. § 573.110
    Criminal classification
    Class D felony; enhanced class where aggravating factors apply
    Maximum penalty
    Up to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for a class D felony; up to 10 years for the enhanced class C felony where aggravating factors apply
    Can you sue?
    Yes — Mo. Rev. Stat. § 573.110 (private cause of action provision within the same statute)
    Time limit to sue
    Generally five years for most Missouri personal-injury and statutory tort claims under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120
    Deepfakes / AI images
    Partly covered

    Is Revenge Porn Illegal in Missouri?

    Yes. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 573.110 makes it a crime to knowingly disclose a private sexual image of another identifiable person without their consent, when the person had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the image and the discloser knows or should know that disclosure is likely to cause the person harm.

    A private sexual image generally means a photograph, videotape, film, or other recorded image depicting the person's intimate parts exposed or the person engaged in sexual conduct. The statute contains exemptions for law enforcement, legal proceedings, and certain newsworthy disclosures.

    The statute also provides limited immunity for internet service providers and similar platforms that merely transmit content created by others, focusing liability on the person who actually chose to disclose the image.

    Penalties for Sharing Intimate Images in Missouri

    A basic violation of § 573.110 is a class D felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

    The offense is enhanced to a class C felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison, where aggravating circumstances apply, such as the victim being a minor, the offender having a prior conviction under the statute, or the disclosure being made for financial gain.

    Related Missouri offenses that can apply alongside § 573.110 include harassment under § 565.091, stalking under § 565.225, and invasion of privacy offenses covering the secret recording of a person in a private setting.

    Can I Sue Someone in Missouri?

    Yes. Unusually, § 573.110 builds a private civil cause of action directly into the criminal statute, allowing the person depicted to sue for damages, including damages for emotional distress, without needing to rely on a separate civil law or a criminal conviction first.

    Courts can also award reasonable attorney fees and injunctive relief requiring the image to be removed and not disclosed further. If a written agreement about sharing images existed between you and the other person, evidence it was broken can support an additional contract claim showing there was no consent to share.

    Missouri's general limitation period for most personal-injury and statutory tort claims is five years under § 516.120, so it is worth confirming the exact deadline that applies to your claim with a Missouri attorney without delay.

    Does Missouri Cover Deepfakes and AI Images?

    Only partially. Section 573.110 is written around a private sexual image, generally understood as an actual photograph, videotape, film, or other recording of the real person, which means a wholly computer-generated or AI-fabricated depiction that never involved a genuine image of the victim sits in a legal grey area under the current wording.

    Missouri has not amended § 573.110 to explicitly address AI-generated content, so victims facing a fabricated deepfake should not assume the statute automatically applies and should ask an attorney about other available claims. The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act still requires covered platforms to remove reported nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated ones, within 48 hours of a valid request.

    What to Do Right Now If Your Images Were Shared in Missouri

    1. 1

      Preserve the Evidence Before Reporting It

      Save screenshots showing the post, account name, full URL, and date and time before it can be removed or edited. Keep original files and messages somewhere the other person cannot reach.

    2. 2

      Use the Platform's Intimate-Image Report

      Use the platform's dedicated nonconsensual intimate imagery reporting channel instead of a general complaint, and keep any confirmation emails or reference numbers. Covered platforms also have federal removal duties for valid reports.

    3. 3

      Use StopNCII.org to Limit Re-Uploads

      For adult images, StopNCII.org generates a digital fingerprint on your own device and shares only that hash, not the image, with participating platforms. If the image was taken while you were under 18, use NCMEC's Take It Down service instead.

    4. 4

      Report It in Missouri

      Contact your local police department and reference Mo. Rev. Stat. § 573.110. Note any aggravating facts such as a minor victim, financial gain, or a prior offense, and flag any related stalking or extortion.

    5. 5

      Get Advice About the Civil Claim

      Ask a Missouri attorney about the private civil cause of action built into § 573.110 and about breach of any written agreement as evidence there was no consent to share the images.

    Be Safer With a Written NDA as Evidence

    Most of Missouri's law is about what happens after the damage is done. The one thing you can do beforehand is put the boundary in writing. A Discreetly agreement is signed by both people, timestamped, and identity-verifiable, and it states plainly that neither person has consent to share, publish or show the material to anyone else.

    Where the law turns on the absence of consent to share, a signed agreement may provide useful documentary evidence that there was no consent to share. It cannot prevent a breach or guarantee a legal outcome, but it can make the agreed boundary clearer than relying only on informal messages. Creating one is free.

    Create a free agreement

    Missouri: Frequently Asked Questions

    Is revenge porn a felony in Missouri?
    Yes. A basic violation of § 573.110 is a class D felony carrying up to seven years in prison, rising to a class C felony with up to ten years where aggravating factors apply.
    Does Missouri law cover AI deepfake nudes?
    Only partially. The statute is written around actual recorded images of the victim, so a purely AI-fabricated image may fall outside its current wording.
    Can I sue someone in Missouri for sharing intimate images?
    Yes. Section 573.110 includes a built-in private civil cause of action for damages and injunctive relief, separate from any criminal case.
    Do I need a conviction before I can bring the civil claim?
    No. The civil claim under § 573.110 can generally be pursued whether or not a criminal case is filed or results in a conviction.
    What if the images were secretly recorded?
    Missouri's invasion of privacy statutes separately cover secretly recording a person in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, and can apply alongside § 573.110.

    Sources

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    This page provides general information about Missouri law and is not legal advice. Laws change and outcomes depend on the facts. For advice on your situation, speak to a qualified attorney licensed in Missouri. Last reviewed August 2026.