Can someone share a picture of me without my permission?

Asked by: Prof. Janie Schimmel  |  Last update: December 29, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (39 votes)

If someone took a photograph of you in a public setting, they are probably not in breach of your privacy by publishing it. But they could be in breach of your privacy if they did not get your permission to publish a photograph of you in your home, at your workplace, or they make it look like you do business with them.

What to do if someone shares your photo without permission?

Civil Actions: You can consider filing a civil lawsuit for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These actions may seek compensation for damages caused by the unauthorized distribution and resulting harassment.

Is it illegal to show someone a picture of you without your consent?

The sharing of intimate images or videos of someone without their consent violates their privacy and can cause harm. It can also be against the law. Consent means a conscious, voluntary agreement – free from force, fraud, misrepresentation, or coercion – to have intimate images or videos of you shared.

Is it illegal to share photos without permission?

It's not a crime to send intimate images or videos of yourself privately to another person if you're both consenting adults. It's a crime to show intimate images or videos, send them to another person, upload them to a website, or threaten to do this, without your consent. This includes so called 'revenge porn'.

Can I sue someone for posting a picture of me without my consent?

You could bring a lawsuit by accusing the defendant of an invasion of privacy by appropriation of your likeness, a process known as right to publicity. This law allows you to control and profit from the commercial use of your image, name and persona or your identity.

Can you sue if someone posts a video or photo of you without your consent?

27 related questions found

What is it called when someone posts your picture without permission?

Even if they didn't know it's illegal, it's copyright infringement. There is even more confusion about giving credit. It does not matter if someone reposted your photo but gave you credit – it's still copyright infringement.

Is sharing a friend's personal photo on social media without their permission illegal?

Every day, new photos are uploaded to social media websites, often without the explicit consent of everyone in those pictures. However, sharing photos of someone else becomes an illegal act when that person sent you the photo with the expectation it would remain private, and the photo was intimate or sexual in nature.

Do you need permission to share a photo?

The Copyright Act of 1976, which is the main copyright law in the United States, protects copyright owners. Unless the content is in the public domain, someone who posts it without permission and/or attribution may be liable for copyright infringement.

What to do if someone has private photos of you?

You need to:
  1. report the picture to the website and let them know the situation.
  2. untag yourself if possible - this is where you remove a tag identifying you in the picture.
  3. contact the person who shared the image and ask them to take it down.
  4. get a list of everyone or every site that has shared pictures.

Who owns a photograph of me?

Generally, the author and initial copyright owner of a photograph is the person who “shoots” or “takes” the photo.

What are the privacy rights of photos?

Generally, what can be seen from public view can be photographed without legal repercussions. Photographs taken in private places require consent.

Is it illegal to expose someone on social media?

The California legislature passed a law in 2008 which makes it illegal to post harmful information on the internet. Penal Code 653.2 states it is a crime to post about other people on the internet in a way that will cause them harm.

Can someone post pictures of my house without permission?

It is generally OK for people to take photographs at any public place or any private place that they own or rent. Being present on someone else's private property generally requires the property owner's consent to take photos. You would also need permission to be there in the first place, or you'd be trespassing.

Can someone take a picture of me and post it without my consent?

This situation can qualify as an invasion of privacy, and you may have some legal remedies and gain control of the image. Right of publicity. Someone can violate your right of publicity by using your photograph for commercial purposes without your consent.

What to do if someone shares your photo?

Federal Law: The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 allows you to bring a civil action in federal court against someone who shares intimate images without your consent. Federal courts can issue injunctions, restraining orders, and award damages up to $150,000 along with attorney fees.

Can you force someone to delete pictures of you?

In the United States, statutes protecting privacy and intellectual property rights can be used to make someone take down photos of you under certain circumstances.

Can you sue someone for sharing private pictures?

Yes. Sharing or publicizing intimate images without your consent is against both civil and criminal law.

What to do if someone posted a picture of you without your permission on Facebook?

Facebook provides a number of ways for people to report imagery that they believe violates their privacy. The quickest way to report abuse is by using the Find Support or Report links located near the photo or video that you want to report.

What to do if someone is posting pictures of you online?

We worked with the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative on this list of things you can do and organizations you can reach out to for support and advice.
  1. Document the post. You may need a record of the post if you decide to take further action. ...
  2. Report an Instagram post. ...
  3. Unfollow or block the person who posted it.

Can someone share my picture without my permission?

If anyone wants to use a photo that someone else owns copyright for, they need to have the permission of the person who owns it. This includes posting it online. If you think someone has been using a photo you own the copyright to without your permission, you could contact them.

Is it illegal to share private photos?

Consensual dissemination: The law states that it's an offense when the "persons agree or understand that the image shall remain private." However, the individual depicted in it might have consented to it being shared. Unidentifiable person: It is unlawful to distribute images of an identifiable person.

What is it called when someone takes a picture of you without you knowing?

However, if the intent is that the subject is absolutely unaware of being photographed and does not even expect it, then such photography is secret photography, which is an extreme case of candid photography.

Can you post pictures of strangers on social media?

In short, whether or not it is OK to share photos of someone on social media is a subjective issue that should be looked at on a case-by-case basis. For this reason, there is no simple answer. But a good place to start is to ask yourself if you would mind that person sharing a similar image of you.

Is it illegal to access someone's social media without permission?

Devices and online accounts hold many crucial details, from financial transactions to intimate conversations with friends. Deliberately logging into someone else's computer, other networked devices and online accounts without permission is not just unethical. It is illegal.

Do you need permission to use someone's photo?

If you're using an image for personal or commercial reasons, you will need to consider getting permission and/or paying to use the image.