Maryland Criminal Law 11-208 — Child Sexual Abuse Material Including Computer-Generated Images
Maryland · Md. Code, Crim. Law 11-208
Maryland's child sexual abuse material statute reaches not only real photographs of children but also computer-generated images that an ordinary person could not tell apart from an actual, identifiable child under the age of 16. It is a crime to knowingly possess and intentionally retain, or to knowingly access and intentionally view, such material showing a child engaged in sexual conduct. Pure drawings, cartoons, sculptures, and paintings are excluded.
Technical detail
Md. Code, Crim. Law 11-208 defines an image 'indistinguishable from an actual and identifiable child' to include a computer-generated image created, adapted, or modified to appear as an actual, identifiable child under 16, and applies the existing possession/viewing offense to such images.
Who is protected: Children, specifically minors under the age of 16 depicted in or simulated by such material.
Who must comply: Any person in Maryland who could possess, retain, access, or view child sexual abuse material.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2023-10-01 |
| Enacted | 2023-05-03 |
| Citation | Md. Code, Crim. Law 11-208 |
| Enforced by | Maryland state and local prosecutors (Office of the Attorney General and State's Attorneys); courts. |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | A first violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $2,500, or both; a subsequent violation is a felony punishable by up to 10 years, a fine up to $10,000, or both. |
| Topics | children's online safety · AI-generated images |
| Last verified | 2026-06-16 |
| Official source | Maryland Annotated Code, Criminal Law 11-208 ↗ |
More AI rules in Maryland
- MD HB 1339 (Automated Decision Systems, 2026) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Maryland Online Data Privacy Act · In effect
- MD NCII Deepfake Law · In effect
- Maryland AI Governance Act (2024) · In effect
- Maryland HB 820 (AI in insurance utilization review) · In effect
- Maryland HB 1563 (AI-denial reporting) · In effect
Related children's online safety rules elsewhere
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI AI Companion Self-Harm Safety (2026) · In effect
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Washington HB 2225 (AI chatbot disclosure, minor protections, crisis protocols) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Oregon SB 1546 (AI companion chatbot disclosure + private right of action) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- xAI v. Harwood (Grok NCII Counter-Suit 2026) · Blocked / in litigation
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