PROVIDENCE – The House of Representatives has approved legislation that expands the state’s 2018 “revenge porn” law to include images created by a digital device or altered by digitization.
Sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight, D-Barrington, the bill also covers content generated using artificial intelligence to impose a person’s likeness onto sexually explicit material.
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“Victims of technically enabled sexual exploitation have no involvement in the making of any of this material and, of course, gave no consent. Once the images are shared, there’s no way to take them back, so the harm is permanent. Celebrities and politicians have been targeted by this practice for several years, and now the technology is so widely available that average citizens are also being victimized,” Knight said. “Without question, deepfake porn is a heinous criminal act, and it should be subject to the laws that prohibit the distribution of sexually exploitative material.”
As of June 2024, 27 states had enacted similar laws prohibiting technology-enabled sexual exploitation, according to a news release.
The legislation now heads to the Senate, where Sen. Andrew R. Dimitri, D-Johnston, has introduced companion legislation.
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
