1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Remove Explicit Material Offensive to Victims Expeditiously Act of 2018 or the REMOVE Act . 2. Congressional findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Internet and other communications technologies have generated tremendous benefits for consumers and businesses across all sectors of society. The United States is a world leader in harnessing these benefits to advance the social and economic well-being of its citizens. It is vital that U.S. law and policy support these advances and do not unduly restrict innovation or inhibit beneficial uses of these technologies. (2) Like all technologies, the Internet and other communications technologies can be misused by malicious actors. These actors often target those in society who are most vulnerable, including children, the elderly, and those whose circumstances make them particularly susceptible to fraud, harassment, or abuse. (3) In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the nonconsensual online distribution of images depicting the exposure of adult individuals’ intimate body parts or depicting adult individuals engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In many cases, these adult individuals either did not consent to the creation of this imagery, or had a reasonable expectation that such material would remain private. (4) The nonconsensual distribution of sexually intimate imagery constitutes a gross violation of personal privacy and human dignity. This distribution can have devastating impacts on individuals depicted in such imagery, including on their professional lives, personal relationships, personal safety, and emotional well-being. Persons who intentionally distribute private, sexually intimate imagery often do so to humiliate, degrade, harass, threaten, or extort the individuals depicted. (5) In some cases, the nonconsensual distribution of sexually intimate imagery may violate Federal or State civil or criminal law. In this regard, Congress notes efforts by the Federal Trade Commission to address the