H.R. 1218 — SHIELD Act of 2025

This bill establishes new federal criminal offenses related to the distribution of sexual exploitative content.  First, the bill makes it a crime to knowingly mail or distribute (or intentionally threaten to mail or distribute) an intimate visual depiction of a recognizable adult engaged in sexual conduct. To constitute a crime, certain elements must be met, including that the distribution must be nonconsensual; the depiction is not a matter of public concern; and the distribution must be intended to cause harm or cause harm. A violator is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both; mandatory restitution; and the forfeiture of material involved in the offense, property con...