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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55981</law_id><section_number>18.2-152.5</section_number><catch_line>Computer invasion of privacy; penalties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Crimes Against Property</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7.1">Computer Crimes</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">person</span> is guilty of the <span class="dictionary">crime</span> of computer invasion of privacy when he uses a computer or <span class="dictionary">computer network</span> and intentionally examines without authority any employment, salary, credit or any other financial or identifying information, as defined in clauses (iii) through (xiii) of subsection C of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Identity theft; penalty; restitution; victim assistance" href="/18.2-186.3/">18.2-186.3</a>, relating to any other <span class="dictionary">person</span>. &#x201C;Examination&#x201D; under this section requires the offender to review the information relating to any other <span class="dictionary">person</span> after the time at which the offender knows or should know that he is without authority to view the information displayed. <a id="paragraph-205101" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-152.5/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">crime</span> of computer invasion of privacy shall be punishable as a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-205102" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-152.5/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates this section after having been previously convicted of a violation of this section or any substantially similar <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of any other state or of the United States is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-205103" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-152.5/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates this section and sells or distributes such information to another is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-205104" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-152.5/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who violates this section and uses such information in the commission of another <span class="dictionary">crime</span> is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-205105" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-152.5/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> This section shall not apply to any <span class="dictionary">person</span> collecting information that is reasonably needed to (i) protect the security of a computer, computer service, or computer business, or to facilitate diagnostics or repair in connection with such computer, computer service, or computer business or (ii) determine whether the computer user is licensed or authorized to use specific <span class="dictionary">computer software</span> or a specific computer service. <a id="paragraph-205106" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-152.5/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1984, c. 751; 1985, c. 398; 2001, c. 358; 2005, cc. 747, 761, 827, 837.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
