Scored 8/10 on whether it helps or hurts everyday people.
The Dirty Pictures Bill
Illinois bill lets you sue people who send unwanted dirty pictures
LIABILITY-UNSOLICITED IMAGES
Good for everyday people ·
If someone sends you explicit images without permission and it upsets you, you could take them to court and make them pay at least $500 plus your lawyer fees.
Our take
What we think, in plain words.
Right now, if someone floods your phone with unwanted sexually explicit images, your options are limited. This bill gives you a real legal tool: you can sue them and win money. The catch? You have to prove the images would bother a reasonable person and that you didn't ask for them. That's a fair bar. The bill protects internet companies and legitimate services (like health apps) from getting sued just for hosting or moving the material, only the person who knowingly sent it unprompted faces liability. This matters now because online harassment is a real problem, and victims need a way to fight back that isn't just "report and hope." But watch for how courts will define "emotional distress", that language could get stretchy.
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The facts
What the bill actually says, no spin.
- You can sue someone who intentionally sends you explicit images you didn't consent to
- You get at least $500, or the real damages you suffered, whichever is bigger
- You can also make them pay your lawyer fees
- The court can order them to stop doing it again
- Internet companies and apps are protected, they're not liable just for transmitting the material
- Health care providers sending images for medical reasons are protected
- The person has to knowingly and intentionally send the images, accidents don't count
Follow the money
Who's spending to push it through vs. fight it.
Per-violation private right of action (no state appropriation required; funded by defendant liability)
In the news
Scanning the news for this bill…
Headlines gathered from across the news, starting points to explore, not endorsements. Always read the official text before acting.
Sources
Read it yourself: the official bill and records.
This bill is in the Illinois Bill Book 2026
The best and worst Illinois bills of 2026, one page each — our take on the left, the bill on the right, and room for your notes. No email needed.
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