Pennsylvania Senate Passes Bill to Curb Distribution of AI-Generated Deepfakes of Minors
Author: admin | 12 Jun 2024In This Post
On June 10, 2024, the Pennsylvania Senate passed ‘Senate Bill 1213’ to outlaw the distribution of deep fake images of minors and AI-generated child pornography, severely impacting the victims. The bill supported by Senators Tracy Pennycuick (R-24), Senator Jimmy Dillon (D-5), and Senator Lisa Boscola (D-18) was approved contemporaneously will full support from all the senators, emphasizing the state’s strong commitment to protect citizens against invasive activities.
Experts have raised alarms about the proliferation of AI-created child sexual abuse content, blending images of real victims with virtual characters blurring the line between real & fake. In 2023, the Federal Bureau of Information (FBI) reported many cases where photos and videos of minors as well as adults were used to generate explicit content.
While stressing the need to crack down on the latest deepfakes, Pennycuick, head of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, reportedly remarked “It shocks the conscience what some people will do with the latest technology, including creating sexual images of people who did not give their consent and outright child porn. We need to do everything we can to prevent individuals from using AI for these insidious purposes.”
To make Pennsylvania, a deepfake-free state and curb the potential digital exploitation of minors, she further emphasized “By working in a bipartisan manner, the General Assembly is making it clear that Pennsylvania is not the place for this depraved activity.”
Read More: Google Set to Crackdown on Deepfake Pornographic Promotional Material
Closing the Gap: Bill Prohibits the Use of AI to Create Deepfakes
The present laws in Pennsylvania stringently prohibit the sharing and distribution of confidential images without explicit consent, however, no such provisions are confronting the implementation of AI deepfake technology to generate such images. Senate Bill 1213 effectively closes this gap and addresses the disturbing growth of AI-generated sexual images of minors and adults as well, created without victim’s consent.
This bill comes into consideration while taking into account the incidents that took place in Westfield NJ. The nude photos of high school students were generated by using AI deepfake technology and potentially circulated on social media platforms. Such incidents provoke an urgent need to safeguard minors against the harms of such exploitation.
Senate Bill 1213 equips prosecutors and law enforcement with essential tools required to effectively combat the emergence of AI-generated pornography content of minors & adults.
Read More: How do KOSA, OSA & COPPA Mandate Children’s Online Safety through Age Verification?
Growing Concerns of AI Deepfake Technology
Deepfakes have been a concern for a while, however, expert warns that the problem is getting more serious, as advanced technology has made it effortless for malicious actors to accomplish their nefarious maneuvers.
No one is safe from the rising threats of AI deepfakes. Influential people like actors, heads of state, journalists, and singers have fallen victim to this threat and can’t stop it from happening. White House is emphasizing the tech industry to crack down on the market of sexually abusive AI deepfakes to address the generation, distribution, and monetization of non-consenting deepfakes of minors.
Many states worldwide are putting efforts to actively combat the rising threats of deepfakes and have introduced laws to address the escalating problem. These laws render it illegal to make porn deepfakes without the victim’s consent and permit the victims to file lawsuits for damages that occurred due to the proliferation of deepfakes.
Also Read:
