- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Vermont House Passes Bill Tackling Online Sextortion
New legislation aims to strengthen protections against voyeurism, sextortion, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
Published on Feb. 6, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The Vermont House of Representatives has passed a bill, House Bill 626, that updates state law to explicitly criminalize threats to release sexual images and modernize definitions around privacy and recording technology to better address online sextortion crimes. The bill now moves to the state Senate and mirrors nationwide concerns about this growing issue.
Why it matters
Sextortion, the practice of extorting sexual content or favors from someone by threatening to release private images or information, has become an increasingly common and harmful crime, especially among young people. This new legislation in Vermont aims to close legal gaps and give victims more time to come forward, while holding offenders accountable.
The details
House Bill 626 updates Vermont's state laws to explicitly criminalize 'threats to release sexual images' and modernize definitions around privacy and recording technology. This is intended to better reflect how these crimes increasingly happen online through digital means. The bill strengthens protections against voyeurism, sextortion, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
- On Thursday, the Vermont House of Representatives passed House Bill 626.
- The bill now moves to the Vermont State Senate for consideration.
The players
Vermont House of Representatives
The lower chamber of the Vermont state legislature, which passed House Bill 626 to address online sextortion.
What’s next
The bill must now be considered and passed by the Vermont State Senate before it can become law.
The takeaway
This legislation in Vermont is part of a nationwide effort to update laws and provide stronger protections against the growing problem of online sextortion, which disproportionately impacts young people. By modernizing definitions and closing legal gaps, Vermont aims to better support victims and hold offenders accountable.
