Revenge Porn Laws in New York: Harassment, Stalking and Doxxing Rules (2026)
Short answerYes. New York criminalizes revenge porn, harassment and stalking. Sharing an intimate image to cause harm is a class A misdemeanor under Penal Law § 245.15, harassment is a violation or misdemeanor, and stalking ranges from a class B misdemeanor to a class D felony.
Last verified: November 5, 2026 against Penal Law Articles 120, 240 and 245, Civil Rights Law § 52-b and the Senate and Assembly bill pages
Revenge porn laws in New York sit inside a wider set of rules on harassment, stalking and threats. The state has no single “harassment act.” Instead, the Penal Law splits unwanted conduct into separate crimes, and the label depends on what the person did, how often, and whether a threat or a protected characteristic was involved.
Key facts
- Revenge porn: unlawful dissemination of an intimate image, class A misdemeanor (
Penal Law § 245.15). - Harassment, second degree: a violation, up to 15 days in jail (
Penal Law § 240.26). - Aggravated harassment, second degree: threats by phone or electronic means, class A misdemeanor (
Penal Law § 240.30). - Stalking: fourth degree is a class B misdemeanor, first degree a class D felony.
- Doxxing: no stand-alone doxxing crime has been enacted; bills are pending.
- New York City: the same state criminal laws apply in all five boroughs.
What are the revenge porn laws in New York?
Unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image is a class A misdemeanor. Under Penal Law § 245.15, a person commits it by intentionally sharing a still or video image of someone’s intimate parts or sexual conduct, with intent to harm that person’s emotional, financial or physical welfare, when the person can reasonably be identified.
The prosecutor must also show the sharer knew, or should have known, that the person did not consent. Digitized images count. Exceptions cover reports to law enforcement, medical uses, voluntary exposure in a public or commercial setting and images shared for a legitimate public purpose.
Victims can also sue. Civil Rights Law § 52-b lets a person depicted in an intimate image taken where they expected privacy sue someone who shared it, or threatened to share it, to harass, annoy or alarm them. A court may award an injunction, compensatory and punitive damages, court costs and attorney’s fees, and may order a website to remove the image. The lawsuit can also be based on a threat to share the image, and it does not require a criminal case first. The deadline is the later of three years after the image was shared or one year after the person discovered it.
Pending change: the criminal statute does not reach a mere threat to share an image. Assembly bill A2226 would add “threaten to disseminate or publish” to Penal Law § 245.15. As of November 5, 2026 it sits in the Assembly Codes Committee. Senate bill S7202A would replace the single offense with three degrees, including class E and class D felonies. It passed the Senate 62 to 0 on March 11, 2026 and is in an Assembly committee.
What is harassment under the NY Penal Law?
Harassment comes in two degrees, and the difference is how serious the conduct is. Harassment in the second degree, Penal Law § 240.26, is a violation. It covers a person who, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm, strikes or shoves someone, follows them in a public place, or repeats acts that alarm or seriously annoy them and serve no legitimate purpose.
Harassment in the first degree, Penal Law § 240.25, is a class B misdemeanor. It requires repeated harassment by following someone or by a course of conduct that places them in reasonable fear of physical injury.
What counts as aggravated harassment in New York?
Aggravated harassment is harassment with a threat or a bias motive. In the second degree, Penal Law § 240.30 covers threats made by phone, computer or other electronic means, or by mail, that the sender knows or should know will cause reasonable fear of physical harm or damage to property. It also covers calls made with no legitimate purpose, and physical contact motivated by a protected characteristic. It is a class A misdemeanor.
Aggravated harassment in the first degree, Penal Law § 240.31, is a class E felony. It applies when the harassment is motivated by a belief about a person’s protected characteristics and involves acts such as placing a swastika or noose on property without permission or burning a cross in public view.
Online harassment and cyberstalking in New York
New York has no separate online harassment crime. Instead, the same laws apply to messages, posts and apps. Anonymous electronic threats can be charged as aggravated harassment under Penal Law § 240.30. Repeated unwanted contact after being told to stop can be stalking, and the stalking statute counts unauthorized tracking by GPS or another device as “following.”
Secretly recording someone brings separate rules. Our guide to recording a conversation in New York explains when that becomes eavesdropping.
Is doxxing illegal in New York?
Not under a law that uses that word. Our check of the Penal Law and the Senate and Assembly bill pages on November 5, 2026 found no enacted doxxing crime. Posting someone’s address or phone number can still be charged if it is part of a threat (Penal Law § 240.30), a course of conduct that alarms them (Penal Law § 240.26) or stalking.
One bill is aimed at doxxing directly. Assembly bill A4609 would create “doxing a police officer or a peace officer” as a class D felony under a new Penal Law § 240.34. It remains in the Assembly Codes Committee.
What are the stalking laws in New York?
New York punishes stalking in four degrees. Stalking in the fourth degree, Penal Law § 120.45, covers a course of conduct aimed at a specific person, with no legitimate purpose, that the actor knows is likely to cause reasonable fear for their safety or causes material harm to their mental or emotional health. Following, phoning or contacting the person after being clearly told to stop all count.
The higher degrees add repeat conduct, many victims, a weapon, a child under 14 or physical injury.
What is menacing under NY law?
Menacing is putting someone in fear of harm through physical menace or a weapon. Menacing in the third degree, Penal Law § 120.15, is a class B misdemeanor. Menacing in the second degree, Penal Law § 120.14, is a class A misdemeanor and covers displaying a deadly weapon or something that appears to be a firearm, or repeated conduct that places someone in reasonable fear. Menacing in the first degree is a class E felony for a repeat offender.
Penalties for harassment, stalking and revenge porn
The penalty depends on the class of the offense. Maximum jail terms come from Penal Law § 70.15 and Penal Law § 70.00.
| Offense | Statute | Level | Maximum jail or prison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harassment, second degree | Penal Law § 240.26 | Violation | 15 days |
| Harassment, first degree | Penal Law § 240.25 | Class B misdemeanor | 3 months |
| Menacing, third degree | Penal Law § 120.15 | Class B misdemeanor | 3 months |
| Stalking, fourth degree | Penal Law § 120.45 | Class B misdemeanor | 3 months |
| Unlawful dissemination of an intimate image | Penal Law § 245.15 | Class A misdemeanor | 364 days |
| Aggravated harassment, second degree | Penal Law § 240.30 | Class A misdemeanor | 364 days |
| Stalking, third degree | Penal Law § 120.50 | Class A misdemeanor | 364 days |
| Stalking, second degree | Penal Law § 120.55 | Class E felony | 4 years |
| Aggravated harassment, first degree | Penal Law § 240.31 | Class E felony | 4 years |
| Stalking, first degree | Penal Law § 120.60 | Class D felony | 7 years |
Judges can also issue orders of protection. Under CPL § 530.13, a temporary order in a pending case can require the defendant to refrain from harassing, intimidating or threatening the victim. For family or household members, CPL § 530.12 applies. For how crimes are classed in general, see our guide to the NY Penal Law.
Workplace harassment in New York
Workplace harassment is a civil rights issue, not only a crime. The New York State Human Rights Law, Executive Law § 296, bars harassment based on protected characteristics, and since 2019 the harassment does not have to be “severe or pervasive” to be unlawful. Labor Law § 201-g requires every employer to adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy and give annual training. Complaints go to the New York State Division of Human Rights, or in the city to the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Pay and hours issues are covered in our New York labor laws guide.
New York City note: the criminal laws above apply in the five boroughs exactly as they do upstate. The city adds its own civil protections through the New York City Human Rights Law, enforced by the Commission on Human Rights.
Frequently asked questions
Is revenge porn illegal in New York?
Yes. Sharing an identifiable intimate image without consent and with intent to cause harm is a class A misdemeanor under Penal Law § 245.15. The person pictured can also sue under Civil Rights Law § 52-b for damages and removal orders.
Is doxxing illegal in New York?
There is no enacted doxxing crime yet. Posting personal information can still be unlawful when it is part of a threat, harassment or stalking. Bills such as A4609, on doxxing police officers, remain in committee.
Is harassment a crime in New York?
Yes. Second degree harassment is a violation, punishable by up to 15 days in jail. First degree harassment is a class B misdemeanor, and aggravated harassment is a class A misdemeanor or a class E felony.
Can I get an order of protection for online harassment?
When a criminal case is pending, the court can issue an order under CPL § 530.12 or 530.13 that bars harassing, intimidating or threatening the victim. Ask the district attorney’s office or the court clerk how to request one.
What is the difference between harassment and stalking in NY?
Harassment is intent to harass, annoy or alarm. Stalking needs a course of conduct aimed at one person that the actor knows is likely to cause reasonable fear for safety or material harm to emotional health. Stalking carries heavier penalties, up to a class D felony.
Is it harassment to keep texting someone who asked me to stop?
It can be. Repeated contact after a clear request to stop can support harassment or fourth degree stalking. A single message usually will not. A threat in any message can be aggravated harassment.
What changed on this page
- November 5, 2026: first publication, checked against Penal Law §§ 120.13 to 120.60, 240.25 to 240.31, 245.15, 70.00 and 70.15, Civil Rights Law § 52-b, CPL §§ 530.12 and 530.13, and bills S7202A, A2226 and A4609. Spotted a mistake? See our corrections page and editorial policy.
If this affects you
If you are in danger, call 911. To report harassment, stalking or a shared image, contact your local police or the district attorney in your county. For a charge or a civil claim, talk to a New York-licensed attorney, and the New York State Bar Association lawyer referral service can help you find one. Workplace complaints go to the State Division of Human Rights. More topics are in crime and courts.
