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The Florida Statutes

The 2023 Florida Statutes (including Special Session C)

Title XLVI
CRIMES
Chapter 836
DEFAMATION; LIBEL; THREATENING LETTERS AND SIMILAR OFFENSES
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F.S. 836.13
836.13 Promotion of an altered sexual depiction; prohibited acts; penalties; applicability.
(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Altered sexual depiction” means any visual depiction that, as a result of any type of digital, electronic, mechanical, or other modification, alteration, or adaptation, depicts a realistic version of an identifiable person:
1. With the nude body parts of another person as the nude body parts of the identifiable person;
2. With computer-generated nude body parts as the nude body parts of the identifiable person; or
3. Engaging in sexual conduct as defined in s. 847.001 in which the identifiable person did not engage.
(b) “Identifiable person” means a person who is recognizable as an actual person by the person’s face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic, such as a unique birthmark, or other recognizable feature.
(c) “Nude body parts” means the human male or female genitals, pubic area, or buttocks with less than fully opaque covering; or the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any portion thereof below the top of the nipple; or the depiction of covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state. The term does not under any circumstances include a mother breastfeeding her baby.
(d) “Promote” means to issue, sell, give, provide, lend, mail, deliver, transfer, transmit, transmute, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, present, exhibit, send, post, share, or advertise or to offer or agree to do the same.
(e) “Visual depiction” includes, but is not limited to, a photograph, picture, image, motion picture, film, video, or other visual representation.
(2) A person who willfully and maliciously promotes any altered sexual depiction of an identifiable person, without the consent of the identifiable person, and who knows or reasonably should have known that such visual depiction was an altered sexual depiction, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(3) Every act, thing, or transaction prohibited by this section constitutes a separate offense and is punishable as such.
(4) The presence of a disclaimer within an altered sexual depiction which notifies a viewer that the person or persons depicted did not consent to or participate in the creation or promotion of the material, or that the person or persons depicted did not actually perform the actions portrayed, is not a defense and does not relieve a person of criminal liability under this section.
(5) An aggrieved person may initiate a civil action against a person who violates subsection (2) to obtain appropriate relief in order to prevent or remedy a violation of subsection (2), including all of the following:
(a) Injunctive relief.
(b) Monetary damages to include $10,000 or actual damages incurred as a result of a violation of subsection (2), whichever is greater.
(c) Reasonable attorney fees and costs.
(6) The criminal and civil penalties of this section do not apply to:
(a) A provider of an interactive computer service as defined in 47 U.S.C. s. 230(f), of an information service as defined in 47 U.S.C. s. 153, or of a communications service as defined in s. 202.11 which provides the transmission, storage, or caching of electronic communications or messages of others; another related telecommunications or commercial mobile radio service; or content provided by another person;
(b) A law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 943.10, or any local, state, federal, or military law enforcement agency that promotes an altered sexual depiction in connection with the performance of his or her duties as a law enforcement officer or the duties of the law enforcement agency;
(c) A person reporting unlawful activity; or
(d) A person participating in a hearing, trial, or other legal proceeding.
(7) A violation of this section is committed within this state if any conduct that is an element of the offense, or any harm to the depicted person resulting from the offense, occurs within this state.
(8) Prosecution of a person for an offense under this section does not preclude prosecution of that person in this state for a violation of any other law of this state, including a law providing for greater penalties than prescribed in this section or any other crime related to child pornography or the sexual performance or the sexual exploitation of children.
History.s. 5, ch. 2022-212.