Revenge Porn Laws in Rhode Island: What Victims Need to Know in 2026

What Rhode Island Law Says

Rhode Island addresses revenge porn under Rhode Island General Laws Section 11-64-3, "Unauthorized dissemination of indecent material," part of chapter 11-64, "Electronic Imaging Devices." The law classifies the nonconsensual dissemination of intimate images as a misdemeanor for a first offense.

A first offense carries penalties of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000. A second or subsequent offense is a felony, punishable by up to 3 years in prison and fines up to $3,000. Rhode Island's escalating penalty structure provides additional deterrence for repeat NCII offenders.

Review the statute at the Rhode Island Legislature website.

What Counts as Revenge Porn in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's statute defines the offense through these elements. The content must be a sexually explicit image, or an image of the intimate areas, of an identifiable person 18 or older. Since a 2025 amendment, this includes images created or altered digitally. The image was made or obtained in circumstances where a reasonable person would know it was to remain private, or it was created without consent. The offender intentionally disseminated, published, or sold the image. The dissemination was without the consent of the depicted person.

The offender must also have acted with knowledge of, or reckless disregard for, the likelihood that the depicted person would suffer harm, or with intent to harass, intimidate, threaten, or coerce that person. A specific intent to harm is not required when knowledge or recklessness is shown. The law covers all distribution methods, including social media platforms like Reddit and Twitter/X, websites, messaging apps, and email.

How to Report

Rhode Island victims should take these steps:

  1. Preserve all evidence — Screenshot images, save URLs, document account information, and keep all related communications.
  2. File a police report — Contact your local police department or the Rhode Island State Police. Reference RIGL 11-64-3.
  3. Contact the Attorney General — Rhode Island's AG office handles criminal prosecutions and can be contacted directly.
  4. Report to the FBI — File with the FBI IC3 for internet-based distribution.
  5. Seek a restraining order — Rhode Island courts can issue protective orders addressing harassment and image distribution.

Limitations of Criminal Law

Rhode Island's misdemeanor classification for first offenses means lighter penalties initially. The criminal process takes time, and images remain accessible throughout. Rhode Island's small size can be an advantage for law enforcement coordination, but also means limited specialized digital crime resources.

A conviction does not automatically remove content from platforms. Cross-jurisdictional cases remain challenging. However, Rhode Island's compact geography can facilitate faster investigation within the state.

Removing the Content

Content removal should be pursued urgently.

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 hashes that participating platforms use to block matching content.

IntimaShield provides NCII removal services: we file removal requests for the links in your case as your authorized representative, including Google and Bing de-index requests, and follow up while the content stays up.

See also: Connecticut's revenge porn law for a New England comparison with felony-level penalties.

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