Law note · Iowa
Iowa Unauthorized Computer Access, with a private civil cause of action
cite Iowa Code ยง 716.6B
stage IN FORCE in force since 2000-07-01
kind Computer misuse
binds public and private bodies
reviewed 2026-08-29
What it asks of an app
- Do not access an Iowa-connected computer system knowing you lack authorization; accessing a confidential record under section 22.7 or utility operational data carries a heavier penalty tier.
- This statute creates a private civil cause of action, so unauthorized access can expose you to a civil suit as well as criminal liability.
When LexLint raises it
crawls_web
What we found
Section 716.6B, titled Unauthorized computer access, penalties, civil cause of action, provides that a person who knowingly and without authorization accesses a computer, computer system, or computer network commits an offense graded from simple misdemeanor to aggravated misdemeanor depending on what is accessed, with the aggravated tier applying where the data accessed is a confidential record under Iowa Code section 22.7 or utility operational or support data.
The statute's own text confirms it creates a private civil cause of action for injunctive and other relief, the same structural feature Delaware's computer crime statute carries. No published Iowa decision applies section 716.6B to scraping of a public-facing page.