Is It Legal to Sell Feet Pictures? Facts and Laws 2026

Legally Explained
On: May 24, 2026 |
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Selling feet pictures is legal in the United States for adults, but the legal picture gets more complicated when you factor in taxes, obscenity laws, age rules, and platform terms. The short answer is yes, it is legal to sell feet pictures as a grown adult in most circumstances.

Most people are surprised to learn that feet pictures occupy a real legal gray zone depending on the content, the platform, and the state. A simple photo of feet is protected speech under the First Amendment. Content that crosses into obscenity under state or federal standards is not protected.

This article covers all of it: federal law, state obscenity standards, IRS tax requirements, minor protection statutes, copyright ownership, and how to protect yourself legally if you sell or plan to sell feet pictures online in 2026.

Is It Legal to Sell Feet Pictures

Selling feet pictures is legal in the United States for adults, and no specific federal law prohibits it. Feet pictures are considered legal content under the First Amendment as long as they do not meet the legal definition of obscenity and do not involve minors.

The legal basis for this is rooted in First Amendment free speech protections. The Supreme Court has long recognized that sexual expression, including content that some people find unusual or fetish-related, is protected speech unless it crosses the threshold into legally defined obscenity. A photograph of adult feet does not come close to that threshold under most interpretations.

That said, the legality is not absolute. Three factors can make otherwise legal feet picture sales illegal: the seller is a minor, the content involves a minor in any way, or the content meets the obscenity standard under Miller v. California (1973). All three of those conditions shift the legal outcome dramatically.

Quick Facts:

  • No federal law specifically bans the sale of adult feet pictures
  • First Amendment protections cover non-obscene adult content including feet pictures
  • The seller must be an adult (18 or older) for the sale to be legal
  • Income from feet picture sales is taxable under IRS rules
  • Platform terms of service are separate from legal requirements but affect access

The practical reality is that millions of Americans sell feet pictures every year with zero legal consequence. The legal risks that do exist are specific and avoidable with basic awareness of the rules.

Is It Illegal to Sell Feet Pictures Online

Selling feet pictures online is not illegal for adults under US federal law. Online sales of this type of content fall under the same First Amendment protections as any other legal adult content sold through digital channels.

The online dimension adds specific legal layers beyond what applies to offline transactions. Federal laws like FOSTA-SESTA affect the platforms through which content is sold, and the IRS’s Form 1099-K reporting requirements now apply to online sellers earning above specific thresholds. Selling online does not create new content-based legal risks, but it does create additional compliance obligations.

State laws matter when selling online too. Some states have obscenity statutes that are stricter than the federal standard. If your content is produced or sold into a jurisdiction with aggressive obscenity enforcement, the content itself must clear that state’s specific legal bar, not just the federal one.

Legal factors specific to online feet picture sales:

FactorLegal RequirementRisk if Ignored
Seller ageMust be 18 or olderCriminal exposure under minor protection laws
Income reportingRequired by IRS above thresholdsTax evasion penalties
Platform complianceMust follow platform termsAccount termination, potential liability
Content standardsMust not meet obscenity definitionState or federal criminal exposure
Buyer age verificationPlatform-level requirementFOSTA-SESTA compliance risk for platforms

Selling online is not more legally dangerous than selling offline. In many ways, it is more documented, which actually works in a seller’s favor if a legal question ever arises about the nature of the transaction.

Is It Illegal to Sell Feet Pictures

Selling feet pictures is not illegal in the United States for adults. No state or federal law specifically criminalizes the sale of feet photographs between consenting adults when the content is non-obscene and no minors are involved.

This question often comes from people who assume that because feet pictures are purchased for fetish-related reasons, the activity must be legally questionable. That assumption is wrong. The buyer’s motivation for purchasing content does not determine the content’s legal status. What matters is the nature of the content itself and the legal status of the parties involved.

Selling feet pictures

The most common misconceptions are worth addressing directly. Feet pictures are not legally classified as pornography in the United States. Pornography is itself not illegal for adults under federal law, but feet pictures do not even meet that classification under any standard legal definition. They are images of a non-genital body part.

Common myths vs. legal reality:

MythReality
Feet pics are pornographyThey are not legally classified as pornography
Selling them is always illegalLegal for adults in all 50 states under federal law
Buyers can get in troublePurchasing legal content from adults is not a crime
You need a business licenseNo specific license is required, but income must be reported
It is illegal if done anonymouslyAnonymity itself is not a crime

The clearest way to understand the legal status is this: selling a photograph of your own feet to a willing adult buyer is a legal commercial transaction. The content, the seller, and the buyer are all on the right side of federal law when basic conditions are met.

Key Takeaway: Selling feet pictures is legal for adults in the United States. No federal or state law specifically prohibits it. Legal risk only arises when a minor is involved, the content meets the obscenity standard, or tax obligations are ignored.

Can You Legally Sell Feet Pics

Yes, adults can legally sell feet pics in the United States without violating any federal law. The transaction is a lawful commercial sale of digital or physical content protected under the First Amendment.

The legal permission to sell is not the same as a guarantee that every platform will allow it or that every state’s regulatory environment is equally permissive. You can legally sell feet pics and still have your account removed from a platform that prohibits adult content in its terms of service. Those are separate issues: one is a legal question and the other is a contractual one.

Legally selling feet pics means meeting four basic conditions. You are an adult. The content does not involve minors. The content does not meet the legal obscenity standard. You report and pay taxes on the income. Meeting all four of those conditions puts you fully within the law.

Four conditions for legally selling feet pics:

  • You are 18 years of age or older
  • No minors appear in or are connected to the content
  • The content does not meet the Miller v. California obscenity test
  • All income is reported to the IRS as self-employment income

The fourth condition is the one most people overlook. The IRS does not care that feet pictures are an unusual product. Income is income. Failing to report it creates legal exposure that has nothing to do with the content itself and everything to do with federal tax law.

Age Requirement to Sell Feet Pictures

The minimum age to legally sell feet pictures in the United States is 18 years old. This is not a platform policy. It is a legal requirement rooted in federal law governing the commercial sale of any content that could be construed as sexual in nature.

Federal law under 18 USC Section 2257 requires that producers of content depicting actual human beings in any sexually explicit conduct maintain records verifying that performers are adults. Feet pictures exist in a gray area of this statute, but most major platforms treat the 18-year minimum as absolute regardless of whether the content would technically trigger Section 2257 requirements.

The practical reality is that no serious platform or payment processor in the adult content adjacent space will work with sellers under 18. The legal and reputational exposure for the platform is too high. Even if a 17-year-old believed their feet pictures were entirely legal to sell, the platforms hosting the sale would be subject to significant legal risk.

Age requirements by stakeholder:

StakeholderAge RequirementLegal Basis
Content seller18 minimum18 USC 2257, platform terms
Content buyer18 minimum on most platformsPlatform terms, COPPA
Platform operatorNo age requirement, but must verify usersFOSTA-SESTA compliance
Payment processorsFollow platform verificationFinancial compliance rules

A seller who is 17 and misrepresents their age to access a platform and sell content does not eliminate the legal risk. The platform’s failure to verify creates platform liability. The minor’s misrepresentation does not make the transaction legal.

Can Minors Sell Feet Pictures Legally

No, minors cannot legally sell feet pictures in the United States. Federal law prohibits anyone under 18 from selling any content that could be considered sexual in nature, and platforms universally enforce an 18-year minimum as a legal floor.

The relevant federal statute is 18 USC Section 2256, which defines a minor as any person under 18. While feet pictures alone may not always trigger Section 2256 coverage, the commercial sale of any content with sexual or fetish intent by a minor creates serious legal exposure for the platforms, payment processors, and potentially the minor’s legal guardians.

Parents or guardians who knowingly allow a minor child to sell feet pictures online could face legal scrutiny under child protection statutes depending on the state. The content does not need to be explicitly sexual for investigators to pursue charges if a minor is involved in the commercial sale of content that was purchased for sexual purposes.

Why minors cannot legally sell feet pics:

  • 18 USC Section 2256 defines minors as under 18 in the context of sexually oriented content
  • Platforms universally require sellers to be 18 or older
  • Payment processors (PayPal, Venmo, Stripe) enforce age-based terms of service
  • Parents who facilitate minor sales face potential legal exposure under state child protection laws
  • Buyers who knowingly purchase from a minor face legal risk regardless of content type

The age rule is not flexible. Seventeen-year-olds, regardless of parental permission, cannot legally participate in the commercial sale of content that has any sexual or fetish market. This is one of the clearest legal lines in this entire topic.

Key Takeaway: The legal age to sell feet pictures is 18, and this is a hard legal floor, not a platform preference. Minors cannot legally sell this content, and adults who facilitate minor sales face potential criminal exposure.

Do You Have to Pay Taxes on Feet Picture Sales

Yes, you are required to pay taxes on income from selling feet pictures. The IRS classifies this income as self-employment income, and it is fully taxable regardless of the amount, the platform used, or the nature of the content.

The IRS does not have a special carve-out for unusual or unconventional income sources. Money received for feet pictures is treated identically to money received for any freelance service or product sale. It is gross income under the Internal Revenue Code Section 61, which defines income broadly as “all income from whatever source derived.”

The self-employment tax threshold that triggers the requirement to file Schedule SE is $400 in net earnings per year. If your net profit from selling feet pictures exceeds $400 in a calendar year, you must file Schedule SE and pay self-employment tax, which covers both the employee and employer portions of Social Security and Medicare.

Tax obligations for feet picture sellers:

Income LevelTax Form RequiredTax Owed
Under $400 netNo Schedule SE requiredIncome tax only if total income exceeds standard deduction
$400 or more netSchedule C and Schedule SESelf-employment tax plus income tax
$600+ from one platformPlatform issues 1099-NECMust report on Schedule C
$5,000+ via third-party payment apps (2026)1099-K from payment processorMust report all income

The IRS 1099-K reporting threshold has changed in recent years. For 2026, payment processors are required to issue a 1099-K to sellers who receive over $5,000 in transactions through their platforms. That does not mean income below that threshold is tax-free. It still must be self-reported.

How to Report Feet Pic Income to the IRS

Feet picture income is reported to the IRS on Schedule C of Form 1040, which is the standard form for reporting self-employment business income and expenses. You do not need to form a business entity to use Schedule C.

The business name on Schedule C can simply be your own name or any trade name you use. The IRS does not require you to disclose the specific nature of your product beyond a general description. “Digital content sales” or “photography” is an accurate and acceptable business description for feet picture income.

Legitimate business deductions are available to reduce your taxable income. Expenses directly related to producing and selling your content may be deductible, including camera equipment, photo editing software, lighting, and a portion of your phone or internet bill if used for business purposes.

Common deductible expenses for feet picture sellers:

  • Camera equipment or smartphone purchased for content creation
  • Photo editing software subscriptions
  • Lighting equipment used for photography
  • Platform subscription fees or seller fees charged by the sales platform
  • A proportional share of internet service used for the business
  • Marketing or watermarking tools

The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% on net earnings, which is the combined Social Security and Medicare tax. Federal income tax is paid on top of that at your marginal rate. Keeping records of all income and deductible expenses throughout the year significantly reduces your tax burden and protects you if the IRS ever reviews your return.

Self-Employment Tax for Selling Feet Pictures

Self-employment tax for selling feet pictures is 15.3% of net earnings, consisting of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. This applies to any net profit above $400 from feet picture sales in a given tax year.

This is the number most first-time sellers are shocked by. They may make $2,000 in a year selling feet pictures and expect to owe income tax at their marginal rate. What they do not anticipate is the additional 15.3% self-employment tax on top of income tax. A seller in the 22% income tax bracket effectively pays close to 37% on net self-employment income at that threshold.

The good news is that one-half of the self-employment tax is deductible on Form 1040. This deduction reduces adjusted gross income, which in turn reduces the income tax owed. It does not eliminate the tax, but it softens the impact.

Self-employment tax calculation example:

Net Feet Pic IncomeSE Tax RateSE Tax OwedDeductible Half
$1,00015.3%$153$76.50
$5,00015.3%$765$382.50
$10,00015.3%$1,530$765
$20,00015.3%$3,060$1,530

Quarterly estimated tax payments are required if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in federal taxes for the year. Missing quarterly payments triggers an underpayment penalty under IRC Section 6654. Sellers who earn significant income from feet pictures should pay estimated taxes in April, June, September, and January to stay compliant.

Key Takeaway: All income from selling feet pictures is taxable as self-employment income. The combined self-employment and income tax rate can approach or exceed 37% for mid-range earners, making expense tracking and quarterly payments essential.

Feet Pictures and Obscenity Laws

Feet pictures do not meet the legal definition of obscenity under federal law for the vast majority of content in this category. However, state obscenity laws add a layer of complexity that sellers should understand before assuming all feet content is universally protected.

The legal standard for obscenity in the United States comes from Miller v. California (1973), a Supreme Court case that established a three-part test. Content is obscene only if all three conditions are met: the average person applying contemporary community standards would find the work appeals to prurient interests, the work depicts sexual conduct in a patently offensive way as defined by applicable law, and the work lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

Standard feet photographs, even those sold for fetish purposes, do not meet this test. They do not depict sexual conduct. They show a non-genital body part. Courts have consistently held that fetish-adjacent content involving non-genital body parts does not satisfy the Miller test’s second prong.

Miller v. California obscenity test applied to feet pictures:

Miller Test ProngStandard Feet PictureExplicit Feet Content
Prurient interest appealPossible, buyer-dependentPossible
Patently offensive sexual conductNo, feet are not genitaliaDepends on additional content
Lacks serious valueCannot be assumedDepends on context
Overall obscenity findingVery unlikelyUnlikely but more complex

The risk area is content that pairs feet with explicitly sexual context or acts. Feet pictures that incorporate sexual conduct involving other body parts move into different legal territory and must clear a different legal bar entirely.

What Platforms Allow Selling Feet Pictures

Several dedicated platforms and general creator platforms allow adults to sell feet pictures legally, though each has its own content policies and seller verification requirements. The platform’s policies are separate from US law but must be followed to maintain access.

Platforms specifically built for feet content include FunWithFeet and Feetify, both of which require sellers to verify they are 18 or older and prohibit content involving minors. These platforms operate within a niche market and have terms of service designed specifically for this type of transaction.

General creator platforms like OnlyFans allow feet picture sales as part of their broader adult content framework. Sellers on OnlyFans must complete age and identity verification before being permitted to sell any content. OnlyFans also requires a valid bank account or payment method in the seller’s legal name, which creates an automatic income-reporting paper trail.

Platform comparison for feet picture sellers:

PlatformMinimum AgeID VerificationContent Type AllowedRevenue Split
FunWithFeet18YesFeet pictures onlyPlatform fee applies
Feetify18YesFeet pictures onlyPlatform fee applies
OnlyFans18Yes, government IDBroad adult content80% to creator
Instafeet18YesFeet pictures onlyPlatform fee applies
Patreon18 for adult contentYesCreator content5% to 12% platform fee

General social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok do not allow the sale of adult or fetish content under their community guidelines. Using these platforms to market feet pictures without violating terms is possible, but directing buyers to compliant paid platforms is the standard approach.

FOSTA-SESTA and Selling Feet Pictures Online

FOSTA-SESTA refers to two 2018 federal laws: the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA). These laws hold online platforms liable for facilitating sex trafficking through their services, and they have significantly affected how platforms handle adult content of all kinds.

FOSTA-SESTA does not make selling feet pictures illegal. It creates legal risk for platforms that host content that could be connected to sex trafficking. As a result, many payment processors and general-purpose platforms became dramatically more restrictive about any adult or fetish-adjacent content after FOSTA-SESTA passed, not because the content was illegal, but because platforms feared liability.

The practical effect for feet picture sellers is that some payment processors, including PayPal and Venmo, have terms of service that broadly prohibit using their services for adult content transactions. Violating those terms can result in account termination and fund holds, even if the underlying content is entirely legal.

FOSTA-SESTA practical impact on feet picture sellers:

Area AffectedHow FOSTA-SESTA Changed ThingsPractical Impact for Sellers
Payment processorsBecame more restrictivePayPal, Venmo may ban accounts
General platformsIncreased content policingHarder to sell on mainstream sites
Niche platformsCreated market for dedicated platformsFunWithFeet, Feetify emerged
Seller liabilityNo direct liability createdPlatform liability, not seller liability

Sellers themselves are not the target of FOSTA-SESTA. The law targets platforms that knowingly facilitate trafficking. Legal adult content sales between consenting adults are not sex trafficking. The law’s secondary effect on seller access to payment systems is the real practical concern.

Key Takeaway: FOSTA-SESTA does not make selling feet pictures illegal, but it caused payment processors and general platforms to restrict adult-adjacent content broadly, pushing sellers toward niche platforms with dedicated payment infrastructure.

How to Sell Feet Pictures Anonymously and Legally

Selling feet pictures anonymously while remaining legally compliant is possible, but anonymity has limits when it comes to tax reporting and platform identity verification. True legal anonymity from government authorities does not exist when income is involved.

Sellers can protect their personal identity from buyers and the general public through several practical measures. Using a pseudonym or stage name, keeping faces out of photos, using a separate email address and social media account for the business, and avoiding posting location-specific content all reduce public exposure without violating any law.

The limits of anonymity are defined by IRS obligations and platform verification requirements. Platforms like OnlyFans require government-issued ID verification. The IRS requires income to be reported under your actual Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number. A pseudonym protects public identity, but it does not shield tax identity from the federal government.

Anonymous selling: what is legal and what is not:

ActionLegalPractical Benefit
Using a stage name or pseudonymYesProtects public identity
Keeping face out of photosYesReduces identification risk
Separate email and accountsYesSeparates personal and business identity
Using a P.O. box for any physical mailYesProtects home address
Not reporting income to the IRSNoTax evasion, illegal
Providing false ID to platformsNoFraud, illegal
Using someone else’s identityNoIdentity theft, federal crime

The right mental model is this: anonymity from the public is achievable and legal. Anonymity from the IRS is not. Anonymity from platforms that require ID verification is only possible through fraud, which creates more legal exposure than the anonymity is worth.

Can Someone Steal Your Feet Pictures Legally

No, someone cannot legally take and use your feet pictures without your permission. Feet pictures you create are your intellectual property under US copyright law from the moment they are created, and unauthorized use by others constitutes copyright infringement.

Copyright protection attaches automatically to original photographs under the Copyright Act of 1976 (17 USC Section 102). You do not need to register your photos with the US Copyright Office for the copyright to exist. Registration is beneficial because it allows you to sue for statutory damages and attorney’s fees, but the copyright itself exists the moment you take the photo.

Unauthorized republication, resale, or distribution of your feet pictures by a buyer or third party is copyright infringement. The buyer purchased a license to view the content. They did not purchase the copyright. Selling access to your photos does not transfer ownership of those photos unless you explicitly sign a written agreement assigning the copyright.

What buyers can and cannot do with your pictures:

ActionLegal for BuyerNotes
Viewing personallyYesThat is what they paid for
Sharing publiclyNoCopyright infringement
Reselling to othersNoUnauthorized commercial use
Using in their own contentNoRequires separate license
Requesting a refund after viewingPlatform-dependentNot a copyright issue

If someone steals and republishes your feet pictures, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) provides a takedown mechanism. You can submit a DMCA takedown notice to the hosting platform demanding removal of infringing content. Most platforms respond to valid DMCA notices within days.

Copyright Protection for Feet Pictures

Copyright protection for feet pictures is automatic under US law. The moment you take a photograph with your own camera or phone, you own the copyright to that image under the Copyright Act of 1976.

Registration with the US Copyright Office at copyright.gov is optional but strongly recommended for sellers who produce content at volume. Registration before infringement or within three months of publication allows you to claim statutory damages of $750 to $30,000 per infringement under 17 USC Section 504, without needing to prove actual financial loss. Willful infringement can push that figure to $150,000 per work.

Watermarking your photos before distribution is a practical deterrent to theft and also serves as evidence of ownership in a legal dispute. A visible watermark with your username or business name does not prevent theft but makes it harder for infringers to claim they did not know the content belonged to someone else.

Copyright protection options for feet picture sellers:

  • Automatic copyright: exists from the moment of creation, no filing required
  • Copyright registration: strengthens enforcement rights, enables statutory damages
  • Watermarking: practical deterrent, establishes visual ownership claim
  • DMCA takedowns: legal tool to remove infringing content from platforms
  • Terms of sale: clearly stating that buyers receive a personal use license only

Copyright registration cost and benefit:

Registration TypeCost (2026)Benefit
Single image registration$65Statutory damages available
Group registration (multiple photos)$85 for a groupCost-effective for volume sellers
No registrationFreeCopyright exists but only actual damages available

Sellers who produce and sell feet pictures regularly should register their content in batches to maximize legal protection at a manageable cost.

Age Verification for Selling Feet Pics

Age verification for selling feet pics is a platform-level requirement that all major feet picture and adult content platforms enforce as a condition of seller registration. Sellers must verify they are 18 or older before being permitted to list or sell any content.

The verification process typically requires submission of a government-issued photo ID, which may include a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. Some platforms require a selfie alongside the ID to match the face to the document. This information is stored by the platform and used to comply with legal requirements around adult content production.

Age verification for buyers is handled separately. Most dedicated feet picture platforms require buyers to confirm they are 18 as part of account registration, though the verification rigor for buyers is typically lower than for sellers. General platforms like OnlyFans apply more thorough buyer age controls than niche marketplace-style sites.

Age verification by platform type:

Platform TypeSeller VerificationBuyer VerificationID Type Required
Dedicated feet platformsStrict, requiredAccount confirmationGovernment ID
OnlyFans-type platformsStrict, requiredRequiredGovernment ID
General marketplacesVariesOften minimalVaries
Social media (indirect sales)Not applicableNot applicableNone at platform level

Providing false age information to a platform to bypass verification is fraud. It also does not create a legal shield. A seller who is underage and misrepresents their age to access a platform remains in violation of minor protection statutes, and the platform’s failure to catch the fraud does not eliminate the legal risk for the parties involved.


Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to sell feet pictures in the United States?

Yes, selling feet pictures is legal for adults in the United States.
No federal or state law specifically prohibits the sale of feet photographs between consenting adults.
The content must not involve minors and must not meet the legal definition of obscenity under the Miller v. California test.
All income from feet picture sales is taxable and must be reported to the IRS.

Do you have to pay taxes when you sell feet pictures online?

Yes, income from selling feet pictures is fully taxable as self-employment income.
The IRS requires you to report this income on Schedule C of Form 1040, regardless of the amount earned.
If your net profit exceeds $400 in a calendar year, you must also pay self-employment tax at a rate of 15.3%.
Payment processors are required to issue a 1099-K for sellers who receive over $5,000 in transactions in 2026.

Can a minor legally sell feet pictures?

No, minors cannot legally sell feet pictures in the United States.
Federal law under 18 USC Section 2256 and platform terms universally require sellers to be 18 or older.
Parents who knowingly allow a minor to sell this type of content may face legal scrutiny under state child protection statutes.
A minor who misrepresents their age to access a platform does not eliminate the legal risk; it adds fraud exposure.

Can selling feet pictures be considered obscene under US law?

Standard feet pictures are very unlikely to be considered obscene under the Miller v. California three-part legal test.
Feet are not genitalia, and photographs of feet alone do not depict the sexual conduct required to meet the second prong of the Miller test.
Content that combines feet imagery with explicit sexual conduct involving other body parts may face a different legal analysis.
State obscenity statutes can be stricter than the federal standard, so the content’s production and distribution location matters.

How do you protect your feet pictures from being stolen online?

Copyright protection attaches automatically to your feet pictures under the Copyright Act of 1976 the moment you take them.
Registering your photos with the US Copyright Office allows you to claim statutory damages of up to $30,000 per infringement without proving actual loss.
Watermarking your photos before distribution deters theft and establishes a visible ownership claim.
If someone republishes your images without permission, you can submit a DMCA takedown notice to the hosting platform to have them removed.


Closing

Selling feet pictures is legal, taxable, and subject to a specific set of rules that most sellers never fully research before they start. Knowing those rules, from the age requirement to copyright ownership to IRS reporting, puts you in a fundamentally different position than sellers who operate on assumptions.

Bookmark this page and share it with anyone who asks whether this type of income is legitimate. The legal framework does not change often, but tax thresholds and platform policies do. Staying current on both protects your income and your legal standing going forward.

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