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

What Tennessee Law Says

Tennessee addresses revenge porn under Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-17-318, titled "Unlawful exposure." The law classifies the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images as a Class A misdemeanor.

A Class A misdemeanor in Tennessee carries penalties of up to 11 months and 29 days in jail and fines up to $2,500. Section 39-17-318 has no separate tier for minors or commercial distribution, but it does not prevent prosecution under another law with a greater penalty. Since July 1, 2025, the Preventing Deepfake Images Act (Public Chapter 466 of 2025) makes disclosing, threatening to disclose, or soliciting the disclosure of an intimate digital depiction with intent to harass, annoy, threaten, alarm, or cause substantial financial or reputational harm a Class E felony. That act also gives the depicted person a civil cause of action. Since July 1, 2026, Public Chapter 712 of 2026 also lets a person whose intimate image is distributed in violation of Section 39-17-318 sue the distributor for damages and an injunction. Tennessee's law addresses NCII distribution with meaningful criminal consequences.

Review the statute text on Justia.

What Counts as Revenge Porn in Tennessee

Tennessee's statute defines the offense through these elements. The content must be an image of the intimate parts of an identifiable person, or of that person engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The image was photographed or recorded under circumstances where the parties agreed or understood it would remain private. Since July 1, 2025, this applies whether or not the person who distributed it was a party to that agreement or understanding. The offender distributed the image with the intent to cause emotional distress. The depicted person suffered emotional distress.

The law covers distribution through all media, including platforms like Instagram and Reddit, websites, messaging apps, and email. The 2025 amendment broadened the law to cover people who were not part of the original privacy understanding.

How to Report

Tennessee victims should take these steps:

  1. Document all evidence — Screenshot images, save URLs, record account information, and preserve all communications.
  2. File a police report — Contact your local police department or county sheriff. Nashville Metro Police, Memphis Police, and Knoxville Police have resources for digital crimes. Reference TCA 39-17-318.
  3. Contact the district attorney general — Each judicial district has a DA General who handles criminal prosecutions.
  4. Report to the FBI — File with the FBI IC3 for internet-based distribution.
  5. Seek an order of protection — Tennessee courts can issue protective orders addressing harassment and image distribution.

Limitations of Criminal Law

Tennessee's misdemeanor classification means cases may receive lower priority than felonies. The intent requirement, proving the offender acted to cause emotional distress, adds a prosecutorial burden. The prosecution must also show the depicted person suffered emotional distress. Investigation and prosecution take time while images remain online.

A conviction does not remove content from platforms. Identifying anonymous offenders and dealing with cross-jurisdictional distribution present ongoing challenges. Tennessee's law enforcement resources vary significantly between urban and rural areas.

Removing the Content

Content removal is essential and should be pursued immediately.

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 hashes that participating platforms use to block matching content.

IntimaShield provides professional NCII removal services covering multi-platform takedowns, search engine de-indexing, and follow-up while the content stays up. Optional Shield monitoring is a separate subscription.

See also: Georgia's revenge porn law for a neighboring Southeast state comparison.

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