Montana Disclosing Explicit Synthetic Media Crime (SB 413)
Montana · Mont. SB 413 (2025), Ch. 606; MCA Title 45, ch. 5, part 6
Montana created a new crime for sharing sexually explicit deepfakes (AI-generated or altered images and video) of a real, identifiable person. It is illegal to knowingly disclose such media when you know the person did not consent and that the disclosure would cause them serious emotional distress, to disclose it intending to harass or harm the person, or to possess it and threaten to release it to extort money or other things of value.
Technical detail
SB 413 (2025) creates the offense of disclosing explicit synthetic media, codified at Title 45, ch. 5, part 6, MCA, covering nonconsensual disclosure, harassment-motivated disclosure, and extortionate threats to disclose sexually explicit 'synthetic media' (deepfakes) of an identifiable individual.
Who is protected: Identifiable individuals depicted in sexually explicit synthetic media; enhanced protection for minors under 18.
Who must comply: Any person who discloses, or threatens to disclose, explicit synthetic media; interactive computer services are not liable unless they intentionally aid or abet.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Montana |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2025-05-12 |
| Enacted | 2025-05-12 |
| Citation | Mont. SB 413 (2025), Ch. 606; MCA Title 45, ch. 5, part 6 |
| Enforced by | Montana county/state criminal prosecutors (criminal offense). |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | First offense: fine up to $1,000 and/or up to 1 year in county jail. Second or subsequent: fine up to $10,000 and/or up to 5 years in state prison. If the depicted person is under 18: fine up to $10,000 and/or up to 10 years. |
| Topics | non-consensual intimate imagery · AI-generated images · deepfakes · children's online safety |
| Last verified | 2026-06-16 |
| Official source | Montana SB 413 (2025) Enrolled Bill — Disclosing Explicit Synthetic Media ↗ |
More AI rules in Montana
- Montana MCDPA · In effect
- MT Election Deepfake Law · In effect
- MT Right to Compute Act · In effect
- Montana HB 514 (sextortion deepfakes in privacy crime) · In effect
- Montana HB 178 (limits on government AI use) · In effect
- Montana HB 513 (property right in voice & likeness vs. deepfakes) · In effect
Related non-consensual intimate imagery rules elsewhere
- Arizona HB 2133 deepfake sexual content — vetoed 2026 · Vetoed
- TAKE IT DOWN Act · In effect
- DEFIANCE Act (deepfake-porn civil suits) · Proposed / pending
- NY S5959-D (2020, digital replicas + deepfake porn) · In effect
- VA HB 2678 (2019, first deepfake-NCII criminal law) · In effect
- Missouri Deepfake & Digital Media Protection Act · Proposed / pending
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