18 U.S.C. § 2257
(a)Whoever produces any book, magazine, periodical, film, videotape,
digital image, digitally- or computer-manipulated image of an actual human
being, picture, or other matter which— (1)contains one or more visual
depictions made after November 1, 1990 of actual sexually explicit
conduct; and (2)is produced in whole or in part with materials which have
been mailed or shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, or is shipped or
transported or is intended for shipment or transportation in interstate or
foreign commerce; shall create and maintain individually identifiable
records pertaining to every performer portrayed in such a visual
depiction. (b)Any person to whom subsection (a) applies shall, with
respect to every performer portrayed in a visual depiction of actual
sexually explicit conduct— (1)ascertain, by examination of an
identification document containing such information, the performer’s name
and date of birth, and require the performer to provide such other indicia
of his or her identity as may be prescribed by regulations; (2)ascertain
any name, other than the performer’s present and correct name, ever used
by the performer including maiden name, alias, nickname, stage, or
professional name; and (3)record in the records required by subsection (a)
the information required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection and
such other identifying information as may be prescribed by regulation.
(c)Any person to whom subsection (a) applies shall maintain the records
required by this section at his business premises, or at such other place
as the Attorney General may by regulation prescribe and shall make such
records available to the Attorney General for inspection at all reasonable
times. (d) (1)No information or evidence obtained from records required to
be created or maintained by this section shall, except as provided in this
section, directly or indirectly, be used as evidence against any person
with respect to any violation of law. (2)Paragraph (1) of this subsection
shall not preclude the use of such information or evidence in a
prosecution or other action for a violation of this chapter or chapter 71,
or for a violation of any applicable provision of law with respect to the
furnishing of false information. (e) (1)Any person to whom subsection (a)
applies shall cause to be affixed to every copy of any matter described in
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section, in such manner and in
such form as the Attorney General shall by regulations prescribe, a
statement describing where the records required by this section with
respect to all performers depicted in that copy of the matter may be
located. In this paragraph, the term “copy” includes every page of a
website on which matter described in subsection (a) appears. (2)If the
person to whom subsection (a) of this section applies is an organization
the statement required by this subsection shall include the name, title,
and business address of the individual employed by such organization
responsible for maintaining the records required by this section. (f)It
shall be unlawful— (1)for any person to whom subsection (a) applies to
fail to create or maintain the records as required by subsections (a) and
(c) or by any regulation promulgated under this section; (2)for any person
to whom subsection (a) applies knowingly to make any false entry in or
knowingly to fail to make an appropriate entry in, any record required by
subsection (b) of this section or any regulation promulgated under this
section; (3)for any person to whom subsection (a) applies knowingly to
fail to comply with the provisions of subsection (e) or any regulation
promulgated pursuant to that subsection; (4)for any person knowingly to
sell or otherwise transfer, or offer for sale or transfer, any book,
magazine, periodical, film, video, or other matter, produce in whole or in
part with materials which have been mailed or shipped in interstate or
foreign commerce or which is intended for shipment in interstate or
foreign commerce, which— (A)contains one or more visual depictions made
after the effective date of this subsection of actual sexually explicit
conduct; and (B)is produced in whole or in part with materials which have
been mailed or shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, or is shipped or
transported or is intended for shipment or transportation in interstate or
foreign commerce; which does not have affixed thereto, in a manner
prescribed as set forth in subsection (e)(1), a statement describing where
the records required by this section may be located, but such person shall
have no duty to determine the accuracy of the contents of the statement or
the records required to be kept; and (5)for any person to whom subsection
(a) applies to refuse to permit the Attorney General or his or her
designee to conduct an inspection under subsection (c). (g)The Attorney
General shall issue appropriate regulations to carry out this section.
(h)In this section— (1)the term “actual sexually explicit conduct” means
actual but not simulated conduct as defined in clauses (i) through (v) of
section 2256(2)(A) of this title; (2)the term “produces”— (A)means—
(i)actually filming, videotaping, photographing, creating a picture,
digital image, or digitally- or computer-manipulated image of an actual
human being; (ii)digitizing an image, of a visual depiction of sexually
explicit conduct; or, assembling, manufacturing, publishing, duplicating,
reproducing, or reissuing a book, magazine, periodical, film, videotape,
digital image, or picture, or other matter intended for commercial
distribution, that contains a visual depiction of sexually explicit
conduct; or (iii)inserting on a computer site or service a digital image
of, or otherwise managing the sexually explicit content,[1] of a computer
site or service that contains a visual depiction of, sexually explicit
conduct; and (B)does not include activities that are limited to— (i)photo
or film processing, including digitization of previously existing visual
depictions, as part of a commercial enterprise, with no other commercial
interest in the sexually explicit material, printing, and video
duplication; (ii)distribution; (iii)any activity, other than those
activities identified in subparagraph (A), that does not involve the
hiring, contracting for, managing, or otherwise arranging for the
participation of the depicted performers; (iv)the provision of a
telecommunications service, or of an Internet access service or Internet
information location tool (as those terms are defined in section 231 of
the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 231)); or (v)the transmission,
storage, retrieval, hosting, formatting, or translation (or any
combination thereof) of a communication, without selection or alteration
of the content of the communication, except that deletion of a particular
communication or material made by another person in a manner consistent
with section 230(c) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(c))
shall not constitute such selection or alteration of the content of the
communication; and (3)the term “performer” includes any person portrayed
in a visual depiction engaging in, or assisting another person to engage
in, sexually explicit conduct. (i)Whoever violates this section shall be
imprisoned for not more than 5 years, and fined in accordance with the
provisions of this title, or both. Whoever violates this section after
having been convicted of a violation punishable under this section shall
be imprisoned for any period of years not more than 10 years but not less
than 2 years, and fined in accordance with the provisions of this title,
or both.