Revenge Porn Laws in Maine: What Victims Need to Know in 2026
What Maine Law Says
Maine addresses revenge porn under Title 17-A, Section 511-A of the Maine Revised Statutes, titled "Unauthorized dissemination of certain private images." The law classifies the offense as a Class D crime (equivalent to a misdemeanor).
A Class D crime in Maine carries penalties of up to 364 days in jail and fines up to $2,000. For aggravated cases, such as when the offender disseminates images of a minor or has prior convictions, the offense can be elevated to a Class C crime, carrying up to 5 years in prison and fines up to $5,000. Maine's law addresses NCII distribution with meaningful criminal consequences.
Review the statute at the Maine Legislature website.
What Counts as Revenge Porn in Maine
Maine's statute defines the offense through these elements. The content must be an image depicting a person in a state of nudity or engaged in sexual conduct. The image was made or obtained in circumstances where the depicted person had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The offender intentionally disseminated the image. The dissemination was without the consent of the depicted person.
Maine's law does not require proof of intent to harass, which is a significant advantage for prosecutors. The intentional dissemination without consent is sufficient for prosecution. The law covers all distribution methods, including social media platforms like Reddit and Instagram, messaging services, websites, and email.
How to Report
Maine victims should take these steps:
- Preserve evidence — Screenshot images, save URLs, document account information, and keep all related communications.
- Contact local law enforcement — File a report with your city police or county sheriff's office. Reference Title 17-A, Section 511-A.
- Contact the district attorney — Each prosecutorial district in Maine has a DA office that handles criminal cases.
- Report to the FBI — File with the FBI IC3 for internet-based distribution.
- Seek a protection from abuse order — Maine courts can issue protective orders addressing harassment and image distribution.
Limitations of Criminal Law
Maine's criminal law provides important protections, but practical limitations persist. Maine's small and largely rural population means law enforcement resources are distributed thin. Many smaller departments may lack specialized capabilities for investigating digital crimes.
The criminal process takes time, and intimate images remain accessible throughout. A conviction does not trigger automatic content removal from platforms or search engines. The court's authority extends only to the defendant, not to third-party websites or social media companies.
Cases involving anonymous offenders or those located outside Maine present jurisdictional challenges. Internet-based distribution frequently crosses state and national boundaries, complicating investigation and enforcement.
Removing the Content
Content removal must proceed independently of criminal proceedings.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act requires platforms to remove NCII within 48 hours of a valid takedown request.
StopNCII.org enables victims to create hashes of their images that participating platforms use to block future sharing.
IntimaShield provides professional NCII removal services that handle multi-platform takedowns, search engine de-indexing, and ongoing monitoring.
See also: New York's revenge porn law for a Northeast state comparison.
Start a free confidential scan →