---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 2252B"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "2252B"
heading: "Misleading domain names on the Internet"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/2252B"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 110 — Sexual Exploitation and Other Abuse of Children"
---

# §2252B. Misleading domain names on the Internet

- (a) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) knowingly uses a misleading domain name on the Internet with the intent to deceive a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) into viewing material constituting obscenity shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.
- (b) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) knowingly uses a misleading domain name on the Internet with the intent to deceive a [minor](/usc/18/2256.md?p=1) into viewing material that is harmful to [minors](/usc/18/2256.md?p=1) on the Internet shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.
- (c) For the purposes of this section, a domain name that includes a word or words to indicate the sexual content of the site, such as “sex” or “porn”, is not misleading.
- (d) For the purposes of this section, the term “material that is harmful to [minors](/usc/18/2256.md?p=1)” means any communication, consisting of nudity, sex, or excretion, that, taken as a whole and with reference to its context—
  - (1) predominantly appeals to a prurient interest of [minors](/usc/18/2256.md?p=1);
  - (2) is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for [minors](/usc/18/2256.md?p=1); and
  - (3) lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for [minors](/usc/18/2256.md?p=1).
- (e) For the purposes of [subsection (d)](#d), the term “sex” means acts of masturbation, sexual intercourse, or physcial[^1] contact with a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5)’s genitals, or the condition of human male or female genitals when in a [state](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) of sexual stimulation or arousal.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “physical”.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 108–21, title V, § 521(a), Apr. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 686; amended Pub. L. 109–248, title II, § 206(b)(4), July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 614.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–248 substituted “10 years” for “4 years”.