Utah Code Ann. § 76-5c-202

Distributing pornographic material.

Effective May 7, 2025Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 173, 2025 General Session
  1. (1) Terms defined in Sections 76-1-101.5, 76-5c-101, and 76-5c-201 apply to this section.
  2. (2) An actor commits distributing pornographic material if the actor knowingly:

    1. (a) sends or brings pornographic material into the state with intent to distribute or exhibit the pornographic material to another individual;
    2. (b) prepares, publishes, prints, or possesses pornographic material with intent to distribute or exhibit the pornographic material to another individual;
    3. (c) distributes or offers to distribute, or exhibits or offers to exhibit, pornographic material to another individual;
    4. (d) writes, creates, or solicits the publication or advertising of pornographic material;
    5. (e) promotes the distribution or exhibition of material the actor represents to be pornographic; or
    6. (f) presents or directs a pornographic performance in a public place or a place exposed to public view or participates in that portion of the performance which makes the performance pornographic.
  3. (3)

    1. (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b) or (c), a violation of Subsection (2) is a third degree felony if the actor is 18 years old or older and is subject to:

      1. (i) a minimum mandatory fine of not less than $1,000, plus $10 for each article exhibited up to the maximum allowed by law; and
      2. (ii) incarceration, without suspension of sentence in any way, for a term of not less than 30 days.
    2. (b) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), a violation of Subsection (2) is a class A misdemeanor if the actor is 16 or 17 years old.
    3. (c) A violation of Subsection (2) is a class B misdemeanor if the actor is younger than 16 years old.
  4. (4) It is a separate offense under this section for:

    1. (a) each day's exhibition of a pornographic motion picture film;
    2. (b) each day in which a pornographic publication is displayed or exhibited in a public place with intent to distribute or exhibit the publication to another individual; or
    3. (c) each act of distributing of pornographic material described in Subsection (2).
  5. (5)

    1. (a) This section does not apply to an Internet service provider if:

      1. (i) the distribution of pornographic material by the Internet service provider occurs only incidentally through the Internet service provider's function of:

        1. (A) transmitting or routing data from one person to another person; or
        2. (B) providing a connection between one person and another person;
      2. (ii) the Internet service provider does not intentionally aid or abet in the distribution of the pornographic material; and
      3. (iii) the Internet service provider does not knowingly receive funds from or through a person who distributes the pornographic material in exchange for permitting the person to distribute the pornographic material.
    2. (b) This section does not apply to a hosting company if:

      1. (i) the distribution of pornographic material by the hosting company occurs only incidentally through the hosting company's function of providing data storage space or data caching to a person;
      2. (ii) the hosting company does not intentionally engage, aid, or abet in the distribution of the pornographic material; and
      3. (iii) the hosting company does not knowingly receive funds from or through a person who distributes the pornographic material in exchange for permitting the person to distribute, store, or cache the pornographic material.
  6. (6) Subsection (3)(a) supersedes Section 77-18-105.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 173, 2025 General Session

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