Chicago is a city where employers, clients, landlords and schools search your name first. If intimate images or deepfakes of you are online without consent, Illinois law gives you more to work with than many people realise.
The Illinois criminal law
Under 720 ILCS 5/11-23.5, it is a crime in Illinois to intentionally share private sexual images of an identifiable person without their consent, where the sharer knew or should have known the person had not agreed. Consent to the image being taken is not consent to it being shared, and sharing with one person does not authorise passing it on.
The Illinois civil remedies law
Illinois also has a civil route, the Civil Remedies for Nonconsensual Dissemination of Private Sexual Images Act (740 ILCS 190). A victim can seek damages, which can include statutory damages or proven harm, any profit the defendant made, punitive damages and attorney’s fees, along with court orders against further sharing. In 2023 Illinois extended these civil protections to digitally altered sexual images, which covers many deepfakes.
Federal law applies in Chicago too
Illinois residents also have the federal Take It Down Act and the federal civil claim for non-consensual intimate images. Together with state law, that is several overlapping layers of protection. Our U.S. overview explains the federal side.
Common situations in Chicago and Cook County
We see the same patterns everywhere: a former partner who shares private material, a hacked phone or cloud account, or an adult-site listing built from your name or photos. Professionals in healthcare, law, finance and education often worry most about how this looks to employers and licensing bodies. Honest advice depends on the facts, so every case starts with an assessment.
Where to turn locally
You can report criminal conduct to the Chicago Police Department or your local police, and to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes crimes in the county. Illinois legal aid organisations and private attorneys can advise on civil claims. This is general information, not legal advice, and laws change.
Do not fall for guarantees
Anyone who promises that content will vanish for good, or asks for payment before understanding your case, should be treated with suspicion. If you are being blackmailed, stop responding, keep the evidence and report it.
Free, confidential audit. Tell us what you are dealing with and we will give you an honest view of what is realistic before anything is billed. Get your free audit, or read more about our explicit content removal services.