Minnesota passes the nation's first ban on 'nudification' apps (19thnews.org)

Minnesota has passed the nation’s first ban on "nudification" apps with a unanimous 65-0 vote in the Senate, aimed at curbing nonconsensual deepfakes that digitally alter clothed individuals to appear nude. This legislation, now awaiting the governor’s signature, is significant as it allows survivors to sue the app owners for damages and empowers the state attorney general to impose hefty fines, addressing a growing concern over the misuse of generative AI technologies. As incidents of digital exploitation have surged, especially among minors, this legislation represents a proactive step in a landscape where federal responses have stalled. The bill targets a growing economy of apps that enable the creation of nonconsensual imagery, which has become alarmingly accessible, even to children. Recent controversies, such as the widespread generation of sexualized images by the chatbot Grok, highlight the pressing need for regulatory frameworks. While major tech companies like Google and Apple have banned such apps, they remain easily attainable, pointing to deficiencies in existing safeguards. Advocacy groups like RAINN have been instrumental in this legislative push, underscoring the urgent need for accountability in tech that facilitates abuse, especially as societal awareness of tech-facilitated sexual violence rises.