78B-6-2103. Liability -- Safe harbor.
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Effective 5/6/2026
78B-6-2103. Liability -- Safe harbor.
(1)A person who is not exempt under Section 78B-6-2102 , and who distributes or otherwise provides obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material to consumers is liable to a person if:
(a)at the time the obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material is viewed by the person, the person is a minor; and
(b)the obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material is the proximate cause for the person being harmed physically or psychologically, or by emotional or medical illnesses as a result of the obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material.
(2)Nothing in this part affects any private right of action existing under other law, including contract.
(3)Notwithstanding Subsection
(1), a person who distributes or otherwise provides obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material is not liable under this section if the person who distributes or otherwise provides obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material:
(a)provides a warning that:
(i)is conspicuous;
(ii)appears before the obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material can be accessed; and
(iii)consists of a good faith effort to warn persons accessing the obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material that the material may be harmful to minors; and
(b)makes a good faith effort to verify the age of a person accessing the obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material.
(4)Subsection
(3)may not be interpreted as exempting a person from complying with Title 13, Chapter 39, Child Protection Registry.
(i)Notwithstanding Section 78B-6-2105 , a person who is not exempt under Section 78B-6-2102 , and who distributes or otherwise provides obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material to consumers without a warning label or without the metadata described in Subsection 78B-6-2105(3)(b) is not liable if the person demonstrates reasonable efforts to determine the location of recipients of obscene animal abuse material or pornographic material within the state and the placement of warning labels on material that enters the state. Reasonable efforts shall result in a compliance rate that exceeds 75% of the content believed to enter the state within the shorter of six months prior to any claim, or from May 12, 2020, to the time of the claim.
(ii)Proof of reasonable efforts to comply with Subsection (5)(a)(i) shall remove liability only for the type of compliance for which reasonable efforts have been proven.
(b)The use of virtual private networks or similar technology by the consumer to hide the consumer's location may not be included in a compliance rate calculation.
(6)Notwithstanding Section 78B-6-2105 , a video game without a warning label is not liable if it has a rating of the Entertainment Software Rating Board or equivalent, as long as it also explicitly provides notice of the content as part of the rating.
Amended by Chapter 255 , 2026 General Session