Privacy Law Library

Nebraska Statutory Right of Privacy

Nebraska Privacy Tort Statute

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Nebraska does not recognize common-law privacy torts beyond this statute, which creates three causes of action: commercial exploitation of a person's name, picture, or personality (right of publicity), intrusion upon seclusion that would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, and false light publicity. Consent within its scope is a defense, and news and certain other uses are exempt.

Where
Nebraska
Citation
Neb. Rev. Stat. 20-201 to 20-211; 25-840.01
Status
In force
Enforced by
Courts (private civil action by the person whose privacy was invaded)
People can sue
Yes
Penalties
Civil damages; the action is personal and nonassignable (20-207) and must be filed within one year (20-211). For false light claims against publishers, recovery is limited to special damages unless a timely correction request was made and not honored (25-840.01).
Applies to
  • Any person, firm, or corporation that commercially exploits, intrudes upon, or places in a false light a natural person (20-202 to 20-204)

Rights it gives people

  • Consent (from a parent or guardian for a minor, or a surviving spouse or personal representative for a deceased person) defeats a claim if the use stays within its scope.Neb. Rev. Stat. 20-205

Practices it requires

  • Do not use a natural person's name, picture, portrait, or personality for advertising or commercial purposes without consent; bona fide news, consented resale uses, and unidentified crowd photos are excluded.Neb. Rev. Stat. 20-202
  • Do not intrude on a person in a place of solitude or seclusion in a way highly offensive to a reasonable person.Neb. Rev. Stat. 20-203
  • Do not knowingly or recklessly publicize false matter placing a person in a highly offensive false light.Neb. Rev. Stat. 20-204

Sources

Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.

Unverified: effective_date null: enacted by Laws 1979, LB 394; exact effective date not confirmed. | The statement that Nebraska recognizes no common-law privacy torts outside this statute is general knowledge, not verified against a case in this pass; 20-206 does preserve common-law privileges and defenses.

Research reference, not legal advice.