Revenge Porn Laws in Rhode Island (2026): Your Rights and What to Do
Rhode Island makes it a misdemeanor to disseminate a sexually explicit image of someone without their consent under R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-64-3. The state does not have a dedicated civil nonconsensual-pornography statute, so pursuing damages generally means relying on general tort claims alongside the criminal process.
Rhode Island at a Glance
- Statute
- Unauthorized Dissemination of Indecent Material — R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-64-3
- Criminal classification
- Misdemeanor
- Maximum penalty
- Up to one year in prison and/or a $1,000 fine
- Can you sue?
- No dedicated civil claim
- Time limit to sue
- Generally three years for most personal-injury torts under Rhode Island law, but confirm with a Rhode Island attorney
- Deepfakes / AI images
- Unclear
Is Revenge Porn Illegal in Rhode Island?
Yes. R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-64-3 makes it a crime to intentionally disseminate, publish, or sell a sexually explicit visual image of another identifiable person without their consent, where the person had a reasonable expectation of privacy.
The statute covers images obtained either with the depicted person's consent, such as during a relationship, or without their knowledge, so long as the later sharing was nonconsensual.
Exceptions typically apply to lawful law enforcement activity and matters of legitimate public concern.
Penalties for Sharing Intimate Images in Rhode Island
A conviction under § 11-64-3 is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
Rhode Island prosecutors may add related charges such as stalking, harassment, or extortion where the conduct involves threats or demands tied to the images.
Images depicting a minor are instead prosecuted under Rhode Island's child pornography statutes, which carry far more severe felony penalties.
Can I Sue Someone in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island does not currently have a dedicated civil cause of action for nonconsensual pornography comparable to some neighbouring states, so recovering damages generally means pursuing general tort claims such as invasion of privacy or intentional infliction of emotional distress.
If a written agreement existed between you and the other person, its breach can support a contract claim; the agreement itself does not stop someone from sharing images, but it is useful evidence that there was no consent to share.
Because the civil landscape is less developed here than in some states, a Rhode Island attorney can advise on the strongest available claims and the applicable limitation period, generally around three years for most personal-injury torts.
Does Rhode Island Cover Deepfakes and AI Images?
Rhode Island's statute focuses on actual sexually explicit images of the victim and does not clearly reach images that are digitally altered or entirely AI-generated, leaving deepfake coverage unclear under the current law.
A 2025 legislative proposal sought to update § 11-64-3, so the law in this area may change; regardless, the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act requires covered platforms to remove qualifying nonconsensual images, including many AI forgeries, within 48 hours of a valid takedown request.
What to Do Right Now If Your Images Were Shared in Rhode Island
- 1
Preserve the Evidence Before Reporting It
Save screenshots showing the post, the account name, the full URL, and the date and time. Keep original messages and files, and store copies somewhere the other person cannot reach. Do not rely on a post staying online.
- 2
Use the Platform's Intimate-Image Report
Choose the nonconsensual intimate imagery or sexual-content reporting route rather than a general complaint. Keep confirmation emails and case numbers. Covered platforms also have federal notice-and-removal duties for valid reports.
- 3
Use StopNCII.org to Limit Re-Uploads
For adult images, StopNCII creates a digital fingerprint on your own device and shares the 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
Report It in Rhode Island
Contact your local police department or sheriff's office and refer to R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-64-3. Flag any threats, stalking, extortion, hacking or images of a minor, because separate and more serious offenses may apply.
- 5
Get Advice About the Civil Claim
Ask a Rhode Island attorney about general tort claims such as invasion of privacy, and about breach of any written agreement, since there is no dedicated nonconsensual-pornography civil statute. Confirm the applicable limitation period for your claim.
Be Safer With a Written NDA as Evidence
Most of Rhode Island'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 agreementRhode Island: Frequently Asked Questions
Is revenge porn a felony in Rhode Island?
Does Rhode Island law cover AI deepfake nudes?
Can I sue someone in Rhode Island for sharing intimate images?
Does it matter how the image was originally obtained?
What if the images depict a minor?
Sources
Keep Reading
This page provides general information about Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island. Last reviewed August 2026.