Revenge Porn Lawsuit NYC: Seeking Justice for Intimate Image Abuse

What Is a Revenge Porn Lawsuit?

A revenge porn lawsuit is a civil legal action brought by a victim against the person who disclosed, distributed, or threatened to distribute intimate images without the victim's consent. In New York, these cases are governed primarily by Civil Rights Law section 52-b, which creates a private cause of action for victims of non-consensual disclosure of intimate images.

Unlike a criminal complaint, a civil lawsuit is initiated and controlled by you, the victim. You choose whether to file, and you stand to recover money damages, injunctive relief, and in appropriate cases attorney's fees. A civil lawsuit can be pursued alongside or independently of any criminal investigation or prosecution.

New York Civil Rights Law Section 52-b

New York Civil Rights Law section 52-b is the primary statute for revenge porn civil claims in New York. The law applies when a person disseminates or publishes, or threatens to disseminate or publish, an intimate image of another person without that person's consent, for the purpose of harassing, annoying, or alarming them, and where the depicted person had a reasonable expectation that the image would remain private.

The statute expressly covers images created or altered through digitization, including images generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence, software, or machine learning. This means the law applies not only to real photographs or videos taken with a camera, but also to AI-generated or digitally altered images depicting a real person in an intimate context without their consent.

What You Can Recover Under Section 52-b

A prevailing plaintiff under section 52-b can recover compensatory damages including damages for mental anguish and emotional distress, punitive damages, reasonable attorney's fees, and court costs. Injunctive relief, meaning a court order requiring the defendant to take down the images and stop all further distribution, is also available and is often the first relief we seek for clients.

Statute of Limitations Under Section 52-b

Under section 52-b, a claim must be filed no later than the later of three years from the date of dissemination or publication, or one year from the date you discovered the images or reasonably should have discovered them. If you recently learned that images were posted without your consent, even if the posting occurred years ago, the discovery rule may still preserve your ability to file a claim. Do not assume you have missed the deadline without speaking to an attorney first.

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Federal Law: 15 U.S. Code Section 6851

In 2022, Congress enacted 15 U.S.C. section 6851, the first federal civil cause of action for non-consensual disclosure of intimate images. This law applies nationwide and can be used alongside New York state law to strengthen your case and expand your potential recovery.

Under section 6851, a victim can bring a federal civil action against any person who knowingly discloses a private, visual depiction of the victim's intimate parts or the victim engaged in sexual conduct, without consent, knowing or recklessly disregarding that the victim did not consent to the disclosure.

Federal claims under section 6851 can be brought in federal court and carry their own damages framework, including economic damages, emotional distress damages, and attorney's fees. The federal and state claims can be pursued together in the same action.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act: Federal Platform Removal

Beyond civil lawsuits, the TAKE IT DOWN Act, signed into federal law in May 2025, requires covered online platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes, within 48 hours of receiving a valid notice from the victim. We send these notices on behalf of clients as part of a comprehensive strategy that combines platform takedowns with civil litigation.

What Damages Can I Recover in a Revenge Porn Lawsuit?

The damages available in a New York revenge porn lawsuit depend on the specific facts of your case and which legal claims are brought. In general, a successful plaintiff can recover the following.

Compensatory damages. These cover the actual harm you suffered, including emotional distress, mental anguish, reputational damage, lost income or professional opportunities, and any other losses directly caused by the defendant's conduct.

Punitive damages. Where the defendant's conduct was intentional, malicious, or egregious, courts can award punitive damages on top of compensatory damages to punish the defendant and deter similar conduct.

Attorney's fees and court costs. Under section 52-b, the court may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff.

Injunctive relief. A court order requiring the defendant to remove all copies of the images, cease all further distribution, and in some cases identify all third parties to whom the images were disclosed.