Fla. Stat. § 836.13 — Florida Code / Title XLVI / Chapter 836 / Section 836.13
836.13 Altered sexual depictions; prohibited acts; penalties; applicability.
Status: in_force

(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) “Covered platform” means a website, online service, online application, or mobile application that serves the public and: 1. That primarily provides a forum for user-generated content, including messages, videos, images, games, and audio files; or 2. For which it is in the regular course of trade or business of the website, online service, online application, or mobile application to publish, curate, host, or make available content of nonconsensual altered sexual depictions. (c) “Generate” means to create, alter, adapt, or modify any image by electronic, mechanical, or other computer-generated means to portray an identifiable person or to offer or agree to do the same. (d) “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. (e) “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. (f) “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. (g) “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 generates any altered sexual depiction of an identifiable person, without the consent of the identifiable person, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) A person who solicits 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.

(4) A person who willfully and maliciously promotes, or possesses with the intent to maliciously promote, 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.

(5) Every act, thing, or transaction prohibited by this section constitutes a separate offense and is punishable as such.

(6) 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 generation 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.

(7) An aggrieved person may initiate a civil action against a person who violates subsection (2) or subsection (4) to obtain appropriate relief in order to prevent or remedy a violation of subsection (2) or subsection (4), 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) or subsection (4), whichever is greater. (c) Reasonable attorney fees and costs.

(8)(a) No later than December 31, 2025, a covered platform shall establish a process whereby an identifiable person or an authorized person acting on behalf of such person may: 1. Notify the covered platform of an altered sexual depiction published on the covered platform which includes a depiction of the identifiable person and was published without the consent of the identifiable person; and 2. Submit a request for the covered platform to remove such altered sexual depiction. (b) A notification and request for removal of an altered sexual depiction submitted under the process in paragraph (a) shall include, in writing: 1. A physical or electronic signature of the identifiable person or authorized person. 2. An identification of, and information reasonably sufficient for the covered platform to locate, the altered sexual depiction of the identifiable person. 3. A brief statement that the identifiable person has a good faith belief that any altered sexual depiction identified under subparagraph 2. is not consensual, including any relevant information for the covered platform to determine the altered sexual depiction was published without the consent of the identifiable person. 4. Information sufficient to enable the covered platform to contact the identifiable person or authorized person. (c) A covered platform shall provide on the platform a clear and conspicuous notice, which may be provided through a clear and conspicuous link to another web page or disclosure, of the notice and removal process established under paragraph (a) which: 1. Is easy to read and in plain language. 2. Provides information regarding the responsibilities of the covered platform under this subsection, including a description of how a person can submit a notification and request for removal. (d) Upon receiving a valid removal request from an identifiable person or an authorized person using the process described in paragraph (a), a covered platform shall, as soon as possible, but not later than 48 hours after receiving such request: 1. Remove the altered sexual depiction. 2. Make reasonable efforts to identify and remove any known identical copies of such altered sexual depiction. (e) A covered platform shall not be liable for any claim based on the covered platform’s good faith disabling of access to, or removal of, material claimed to be a nonconsensual altered sexual depiction based on facts or circumstances from which the unlawful publishing of an altered sexual depiction is apparent, regardless of whether the altered sexual depiction is ultimately determined to be unlawful. (f) In addition to the remedies under 1 subsection (7), a failure to reasonably comply with the notice and removal obligations under this subsection shall be treated as an unfair or a deceptive act or practice under part II of chapter 501, and the person or entity responsible shall be subject to the penalties and remedies provided in part II of chapter 501. (g) This subsection does not apply to the following: 1. An information service or a telecommunications service, as those terms are defined in 47 U.S.C. s. 153, providing services for content provided by another person. 2. Electronic mail. 3. Except as provided in subparagraph (1)(b)2., an online service, application, or website: a. That consists primarily of content that is not user generated but is preselected by the provider of such online service, application, or website; and b. For which any chat, comment, or interactive functionality is incidental to, directly related to, or dependent on the provision of the content described in sub-subparagraph a.

(9) 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 engaged in 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.

(10) 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.

(11) 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.

(12) If any provision of this section or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, that provision or its application is severable and does not affect the validity of the other provisions or applications of this section.

History: s. 5, ch. 2022-212; s. 3, ch. 2025-99; s. 2, ch. 2025-133.