Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§917a Art. 117a. Wrongful broadcast or distribution of intimate visual images

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 47— - UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER X— - PUNITIVE ARTICLES › § 917a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Makes it a crime for someone under military rules to knowingly and wrongly send out or share an intimate picture or a sexually explicit image of another person when the person in the image was at least 18 years of age when the image was made, can be identified from the image or related information, and did not explicitly agree to the sharing. It also covers cases where the sender knew or should have known the image was made with an expectation of privacy, and knew or should have known sharing it was likely to cause harm or serious problems for the person, and the sharing had a clear, direct connection to a military mission or military setting. Definitions in one line each: "Broadcast" means sending an image electronically for others to view. "Distribute" means giving an image to someone, including by mail or electronic means. "Intimate visual image" means an image that shows a private area. "Private area" means naked or underwear-covered genitals, anus, buttocks, or a female areola or nipple. "Reasonable expectation of privacy" means a situation where a reasonable person would expect the private area or sexual act not to be publicly seen. "Sexually explicit conduct" means certain sexual acts or simulated acts, and includes bestiality, masturbation, or sadistic/masochistic abuse. "Visual image" means photos, films, videos, digital images, streaming media, or data that can be turned into an image.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §917a

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any person subject to this chapter—

(1)who knowingly and wrongfully broadcasts or distributes an intimate visual image of another person or a visual image of sexually explicit conduct involving a person who—

(A)is at least 18 years of age at the time the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct was created;

(B)is identifiable from the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct itself, or from information displayed in connection with the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct; and

(C)does not explicitly consent to the broadcast or distribution of the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct;

(2)who knows or reasonably should have known that the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct was made under circumstances in which the person depicted in the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct retained a reasonable expectation of privacy regarding any broadcast or distribution of the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct;

(3)who knows or reasonably should have known that the broadcast or distribution of the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct is likely—

(A)to cause harm, harassment, intimidation, emotional distress, or financial loss for the person depicted in the intimate visual image or visual image of sexually explicit conduct; or

(B)to harm substantially the depicted person with respect to that person’s health, safety, business, calling, career, financial condition, reputation, or personal relationships; and

(4)whose conduct, under the circumstances, had a reasonably direct and palpable connection to a military mission or military environment,

(b)In this section:

(1)The term “broadcast” means to electronically transmit a visual image with the intent that it be viewed by a person or persons.

(2)The term “distribute” means to deliver to the actual or constructive possession of another person, including transmission by mail or electronic means.

(3)The term “intimate visual image” means a visual image that depicts a private area of a person.

(4)The term “private area” means the naked or underwear-clad genitalia, anus, buttocks, or female areola or nipple.

(5)The term “reasonable expectation of privacy” means circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe that a private area of the person, or sexually explicit conduct involving the person, would not be visible to the public.

(6)The term “sexually explicit conduct” means actual or simulated genital-genital contact, oral-genital contact, anal-genital contact, or oral-anal contact, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex, bestiality, masturbation, or sadistic or masochistic abuse.

(7)The term “visual image” means the following:

(A)Any developed or undeveloped photograph, picture, film, or video.

(B)Any digital or computer image, picture, film, or video made by any means, including those transmitted by any means, including streaming media, even if not stored in a permanent format.

(C)Any digital or electronic data capable of conversion into a visual image.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 917a

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73