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.