Revenge Porn Laws in Maryland: What Victims Need to Know in 2026

What Maryland Law Says

Maryland addresses revenge porn under Criminal Law Article Section 3-809 of the Maryland Code. The law classifies the offense as a misdemeanor.

A conviction carries up to 2 years in prison, a fine up to $5,000, or both. Maryland's relatively high penalty ceiling for a misdemeanor reflects the serious view the legislature takes toward NCII distribution. The law also gives the person depicted a civil cause of action for defamation per se or invasion of privacy against anyone who distributed the image, and the court may award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff.

Review the statute at the Maryland Legislature website.

What Counts as Revenge Porn in Maryland

Maryland's statute defines the offense through these elements. The content must be a visual representation of an identifiable person with intimate parts exposed or engaged in sexual activity, including a computer-generated image that is indistinguishable from the person. The offender knowingly distributed it with the intent to harm, harass, intimidate, threaten, or coerce the depicted person. The offender knew the person did not consent to the distribution, or acted with reckless disregard as to consent. The person had a reasonable expectation that the image would remain private.

Maryland's law covers all distribution methods including social media platforms like Instagram and Reddit, websites, text messages, email, and any other electronic or physical means. The intent requirement means prosecutors must demonstrate a specific harmful purpose behind the distribution.

How to Report

Maryland victims should follow these steps:

  1. Document all evidence — Screenshot images, save URLs, preserve account information, and keep records of all communications.
  2. File a police report — Contact your local police department or county sheriff. Maryland State Police can also assist. Reference CR Section 3-809.
  3. Contact the State's Attorney — Each county and Baltimore City has an elected State's Attorney who handles criminal prosecutions.
  4. Report to the FBI — File with the FBI IC3 for internet-based distribution.
  5. Seek a protective order — Maryland courts can issue peace orders and protective orders that address harassment and image distribution.

Limitations of Criminal Law

Maryland's criminal law provides a strong framework with meaningful penalties, but the intent requirement creates a significant hurdle. Proving that the offender acted with specific intent to harm, harass, or intimidate requires more than showing that distribution occurred — prosecutors must demonstrate the offender's state of mind.

The criminal process in Maryland can be lengthy, and images remain online throughout the proceedings. Even after a conviction, content removal from platforms and search engines requires separate action. Courts can order defendants to remove content, but have no authority over third-party platforms.

Cases involving anonymous offenders require digital forensic investigation that may stretch law enforcement resources. Cross-jurisdictional issues arise frequently with internet-based distribution, complicating both investigation and prosecution.

Removing the Content

Content removal should begin immediately and proceed in parallel with any criminal investigation.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act requires covered platforms to remove qualifying intimate imagery and make reasonable efforts to remove known identical copies within 48 hours of a valid request. The platform and request must meet the law's requirements. See FTC guidance; this is not a universal service turnaround guarantee.

StopNCII.org allows victims to create digital fingerprints of their images that participating platforms use to automatically detect and block matching content.

IntimaShield provides professional NCII removal services that handle removal requests across platforms and search engine de-indexing requests. Optional Shield monitoring is a separate subscription for twice-weekly name-and-handle searches.

See also: Pennsylvania's revenge porn law for a comparison of Mid-Atlantic state approaches.

Start a free confidential scan →

Review my removal scope to see the domain count and one-time price before paying. Need links first? Start a free text-only scan. Search only for yourself or with explicit permission; results are possible matches, not proof that every copy has been found.