Computer-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material

Va. Code Ann. §§ 18.2-374.1, 18.2-374.1:1

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What follows is LexLint's own research summary of this law, not legal advice.

In force.

An AI prohibited practices rule binding public and private bodies.

As of 6 September 2026.

What it requires

Do not produce, make, finance, or knowingly take part in producing child pornography, including a computer-generated or digitally manipulated depiction built from an identifiable minor's face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic; the minor as depicted does not have to actually exist for this to apply.
Do not knowingly possess, reproduce, sell, distribute, transmit, display, or solicit such material, or operate a website for the purpose of facilitating payment for access to it.
Penalties are graduated by the subject's age and by whether the offender is at least seven years older than the subject, with mandatory minimum prison terms on the higher tiers.

If you get it wrong

Criminal exposureYes

Criminal exposure note

Production (§ 18.2-374.1): where the subject is under 15, 5 to 30 years, with a 5-year mandatory minimum if the offender is at least 7 years older, rising to 15 to 40 years with a 15-year mandatory minimum on a second or subsequent such offense; where the subject is 15 to under 18, 1 to 20 years, with a 3-year mandatory minimum if the offender is at least 7 years older, rising to 10 to 30 years with a 10-year mandatory minimum on a second or subsequent such offense. Possession (§ 18.2-374.1:1(A)-(B)): Class 6 felony, Class 5 felony for a second or subsequent violation. Reproduction, distribution, sale, or soliciting entry into a trading group (§ 18.2-374.1:1(C)): 5 to 20 years, with a 5-year mandatory minimum on a second or subsequent violation. Operating a website to facilitate payment for access (§ 18.2-374.1:1(D)): Class 4 felony.

What it makes you log

Logging duty

Sections 18.2-374.1 and 18.2-374.1:1 criminalize producing, financing, possessing, and distributing child pornography, including a computer-generated or AI-manipulated depiction built from an identifiable real minor's likeness. They state no duty for anyone to create, keep, or produce a record; they are prohibitions enforced through ordinary criminal investigation and prosecution.

Kind: None
As of: 21 September 2026

Who checks it

Audit expectation

none

What this law does

Drafted with AI from the cited sources under the direction of UnGovr staff. UnGovr holds editorial responsibility for this page.

Virginia's child pornography statute defines an identifiable minor to include a person whose image as a minor was used in creating, adapting, or modifying a visual depiction, recognizable by face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic, and its own text states that for this purpose the minor depicted does not have to actually exist, reaching a computer-generated or AI-manipulated depiction built from an identifiable real minor's likeness on the same terms as an unaltered photograph.

Section 18.2-374.1 punishes producing, financing, or knowingly taking part in producing such material, with penalties graduated by the subject's age and the offender's age relative to the subject; section 18.2-374.1:1 separately punishes knowing possession, and reproduction, sale, distribution, or solicitation to gain entry into a trading group.

The statute's history note lists amendments through 2024, but does not isolate which amendment year first added the 'does not have to actually exist' clause, so no commencement date for that specific text is confirmed here even though the statute as a whole is unquestionably in force today.

When LexLint raises it

generates_content
publishes_adult_content

Read the law

official codified text, Virginia Law (law.lis.virginia.gov)

Every line above is drawn from the primary source linked here, read on the date shown. This is a research summary, not legal advice.

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