California · Penal Code

PEN §273i: (a) Any person who publishes information describing or depicting a child, the physical appearance of a child, the location of a child, or locations where children may be found with the intent that ano

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Publishing information describing, depicting, or locating a child with intent to aid another person in immediately committing a crime against that child is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail and/or a fine up to $1,000.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Any person who publishes information describing or depicting a child, the physical appearance of a child, the location of a child, or locations where children may be found with the intent that another person imminently use the information to commit a crime against a child and the information is likely to aid in the imminent commission of a crime against a child, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both a fine and imprisonment. (b) For purposes of this section, “publishes” means making the information available to another person through any medium, including, but not limited to, the Internet, the World Wide Web, or e-mail. (c) For purposes of this section, “child” means a person who is 14 years of age or younger. (d) For purposes of this section, “information” includes, but is not limited to, an image, film, filmstrip, photograph, negative, slide, photocopy, videotape, video laser disc, or any other computer-generated image. (e) Any parent or legal guardian of a child about whom information is published in violation of subdivision (a) may seek a preliminary injunction enjoining any further publication of that information.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.