Deepfakes and Posing as Someone
MCA 45-5-640 — sharing fake explicit images of a real person, up to $1,000 and 1 year the first time
It is an offense to knowingly disclose explicit synthetic media of an identifiable person, knowing they did not consent and that it would cause substantial emotional distress, or to disclose it to terrify, harass or injure them.
Who handles this in Montana: State Bar of Montana, Licensed Lawyer Montana; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Montana directory.
- Threatening to disclose it to get money or something of value from the person is also the offense.
- A first conviction is up to $1,000, 1 year in jail, or both.
- A second is up to $10,000, 5 years in prison, or both, and the penalties are higher when the person shown is under 18.
Posing as another person to get their personal or confidential information is criminal invasion of personal privacy, up to 1 year or $10,000, unless that person expressly consented.
Sources for this section (2)
- MCA 45-5-640 — Disclosing explicit synthetic media
- MCA 45-8-220 — Criminal invasion of personal privacy
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Montana attorney.