Revenge Porn Laws in Missouri: What Victims Need to Know in 2026
What Missouri Law Says
Missouri addresses revenge porn under Section 573.110 RSMo, titled "Nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images." The law creates a tiered system of penalties based on the circumstances.
A first offense is a Class D misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500. A second offense is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. If the offender distributes images for profit or compensation, or if the victim is a minor, the offense is a Class E felony, carrying up to 4 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. Missouri's escalating structure provides increasing consequences for repeat NCII offenders.
Review the statute at the Missouri Legislature website.
What Counts as Revenge Porn in Missouri
Missouri's statute defines the offense through several elements. The content must be a private sexual image showing nudity or sexual conduct. The image was obtained under circumstances where the depicted person had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The offender knowingly disseminated the image. The dissemination was without the consent of the depicted person.
Missouri's law does not require proof of specific intent to harm or harass, which is an advantage for prosecution. The knowing dissemination without consent is sufficient. The law covers all distribution methods, including social media platforms like Reddit and Instagram, websites, messaging services, and email.
How to Report
Missouri victims should follow these steps:
- Document all evidence — Screenshot images, save URLs, record account information, and preserve all communications.
- File a police report — Contact your local police department or county sheriff. Major departments in Kansas City and St. Louis have digital crime units. Reference Section 573.110 RSMo.
- Contact the prosecuting attorney — Each county in Missouri has an elected prosecuting attorney who handles criminal cases.
- Report to the FBI — File with the FBI IC3 for internet-based distribution.
- Seek a full order of protection — Missouri courts can issue orders of protection under Chapter 455 that address harassment and image distribution.
Limitations of Criminal Law
Missouri's tiered penalty structure means that first offenses are treated relatively leniently as Class D misdemeanors with only a fine. This low entry-level penalty may not provide sufficient deterrence. Victims may feel that a fine alone does not adequately address the harm caused by having intimate images distributed without consent.
The criminal process takes time, and images remain online throughout. Even felony-level prosecution does not automatically result in content removal from platforms. Law enforcement resources vary across Missouri's urban and rural jurisdictions, and smaller departments may lack resources for digital crime investigation.
Anonymous offenders and cross-jurisdictional cases present additional challenges. The internet's borderless nature means that content originally posted in Missouri can spread globally, beyond the reach of state criminal law.
Removing the Content
Content removal must be pursued independently and urgently.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act requires platforms to remove NCII within 48 hours of a valid request, providing a federal enforcement mechanism.
StopNCII.org provides a free hashing tool that creates digital fingerprints for participating platforms to block matching content.
IntimaShield offers professional NCII removal services covering multi-platform takedowns, search engine de-indexing, and ongoing monitoring for re-uploads.
See also: Kansas's revenge porn law for a neighboring state comparison.
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