Bill > HR5090

This bill, known as the HONOR Act (Halting Online Nonconsensual Offenses in the Ranks Act), amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to expand protections against the unauthorized sharing of intimate visual images. The legislation creates comprehensive prohibitions against broadcasting, distributing, or publishing intimate visual images or digital forgeries without consent, covering both adult and minor victims. The bill defines specific scenarios where sharing such images is illegal, including when the images were obtained under circumstances where the subject had a reasonable expectation of privacy, were not consensually shared, and are intended to or actually cause psychological, financial, or reputational harm. It introduces detailed definitions for key terms like "digital forgery" (images created using technology that appear indistinguishable from authentic images), "intimate visual depiction" (including nude or sexually explicit images), and "consent" (an affirmative, conscious, and voluntary authorization). The legislation provides exceptions for lawful investigations, good faith disclosures, and medical or legal purposes, and covers a wide range of digital communication methods. Importantly, the bill clarifies that prior consent to create an image does not imply consent to share it, and it explicitly addresses emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning that can be used to create non-consensual imagery.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5090/all-info