There is no federal law protecting victims of deepfake pornography, though many states have passed their own measures. — AFP Relaxnews
With one week left before the congressional session ends, Texas Senator Ted Cruz is pushing a bipartisan bill that would crack down on AI-generated revenge pornography.
The proposal, S.4569, would criminalise publication of nonconsensual sexual images created by superimposing a victim’s face on another body. Websites and social media companies would be required to create procedures to remove the material – known as deepfakes – within 48 hours of notice from a victim.
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, co-sponsored the bill. It passed the Senate unanimously on Dec 3, but House lawmakers have little time to approve a companion bill, H.R. 8989, before the session ends.
"Every victim should have the right to say, ‘That is me. That is my image, and you don’t have my permission to put this garbage out there,’” Cruz said at a news conference on Dec 11.
There is no federal law protecting victims of deepfake pornography, though many states have passed their own measures. Cruz introduced the legislation after the mother of a victim, a minor named Elliston Berry, contacted his office.
Berry, now 15, attended last week’s press conference with her mother and recalled the experience.
"That morning I woke up, it was one of the worst feelings I have ever felt,” she said.
The image bounced around Snapchat for nine months as the family tried in vain to have it removed. Cruz’s office was able to contact the company and get it taken down.
Major technology companies, including Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Microsoft Corp., Meta Platforms Inc. and TikTok Inc., support the legislation.
"This work is about building a future, about taking on the challenges of the new environment we live in and not just pretending it is not happening anymore,” Klobuchar said.
Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican, co-authored the House legislation with Representative Madeleine Dean, a Democrat from Pennsylvania.
"It has nothing to do with political parties,” Salazar said. "It has to do with what’s common sense, which unfortunately in Washington is the least common of all senses.” – Bloomberg
