# 119-s-516: SHIELD Act of 2023

119-s-516, SHIELD Act of 2023, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-516
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-516
- Congress: 119
- Title: SHIELD Act of 2023
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-02-11
- Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Criminalizing nonconsensual sharing of intimate images.** This bill would make it a federal crime to mail or distribute intimate photos of a recognizable adult without consent when intended to harm or that cause harm, and it would separately criminalize mailing nude images of minors with intent to abuse or to arouse sexual desire. - Adults and families: Adults whose private intimate images are shared without consent could pursue criminal remedies against distributors. Offenders face fines, mandatory restitution, and up to 2 years in prison. - Minors and child safety: Sending a nude image of someone under 18 with intent to humiliate, harass, abuse, or arouse is a distinct offense. Penalties include fines, mandatory restitution, and up to 3 years in prison. - Platforms, reporters, and law enforcement: The bill defines terms like "communications service" and narrows broad platform shields for providers that solicit or predominantly distribute content. It preserves exceptions for law enforcement, lawful reporting, and legal proceedings and allows federal jurisdiction when a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is involved.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] (R-TX), 2025-02-11T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Federal crime for harmful image sharing: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would make certain harmful image sharing a federal crime. Knowingly sharing an adult's intimate image to harm them could bring up to 2 years in prison and fines. Sharing described nude-minor images with harmful intent could bring up to 3 years in prison and fines. Courts would…
- Platform liability limits, with exceptions: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would generally protect online services from liability for content others post. A platform would lose that protection if it intentionally solicits prohibited images or knowingly and predominantly distributes them. The rule would let many providers avoid liability while exposing…
- Who and what counts as covered images: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would add legal definitions for which services and images are covered. It would define "communications service" and use the 47 U.S.C. 230(f) meaning of "information content provider." It would define "intimate visual depiction" to require the person be at least 18 when the imag…
- Exceptions for law enforcement and reporting: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would not apply to lawful law enforcement, intelligence, or protective work. It would also allow sharing images when done reasonably and in good faith to report illegal or unsolicited activity, seek help after receiving an unsolicited image, assist the person shown, for medical…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-516 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/516)

## Related
- [119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1071)
- [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923)
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2838)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-516 (as of 2026-08-11).