<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="3-809" title_number="3" title_name="Other Crimes Against the Person" subtitle_number="8" subtitle_name="Stalking and Harassment">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Distribute” means to give, sell, transfer, disseminate, publish, upload, circulate, broadcast, make available, allow access to, or engage in any other form of transmission, electronic or otherwise.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Harm” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>physical injury;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>serious emotional distress; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>economic damages.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Intimate parts” means the naked genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female nipple.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“Sexual activity” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>sexual intercourse, including genital–genital, oral–genital, anal–genital, or oral–anal;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>masturbation; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>sadomasochistic abuse.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Visual representation” of an identifiable person means:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>an unaltered image of the person; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>an image created with or without using other existing depictions of the person that is indistinguishable from the person, from the perspective of an ordinary person.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Visual representation” includes a computer–generated image.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>“Visual representation” does not include an image or depiction that is:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a drawing;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a cartoon;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>a sculpture; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>a painting.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This section does not apply to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>lawful and common practices of law enforcement, the reporting of unlawful conduct, or legal proceedings; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>situations involving voluntary exposure in public or commercial settings.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An interactive computer service, as defined in 47 U.S.C. § 230(f)(2), is not liable under this section for content provided by another person.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A person may not knowingly distribute a visual representation of another identifiable person that displays the other person with intimate parts exposed or while engaged in an act of sexual activity:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>with the intent to harm, harass, intimidate, threaten, or coerce the other person;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>under circumstances in which the person knew that the other person did not consent to the distribution; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>with reckless disregard as to whether the person consented to the distribution; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>under circumstances in which the other person had a reasonable expectation that the image would remain private.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A person who violates this section is subject to § 5–106(b) of the Courts Article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person whose visual representation was distributed in violation of this section has a civil cause of action for defamation per se or invasion of privacy against any person who distributed the visual representation.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In addition to other relief, the court may award reasonable attorney’s fees to a prevailing plaintiff under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>A visual representation of a victim that is part of a court record for a case arising under this section:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>subject to item (2) of this subsection, may not be made available for public inspection; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>except as otherwise ordered by the court, may only be made available for inspection in relation to a criminal charge or civil action under this section to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>court personnel;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a jury in a criminal case brought under this section;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the State’s Attorney or the State’s Attorney’s designee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the Attorney General or the Attorney General’s designee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>a law enforcement officer;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s attorney;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>the defendant or the defendant’s attorney; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>the victim or the victim’s attorney.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
