California Assemblyman Marc Berman, a Democrat from Silicon Valley, has introduced a bill that would outlaw AI-generated depictions of child sexual abuse in the state, according to Politico.
The bill would update California's penal code to criminalize the production, distribution, or possession of such material — even if it is fictitious and AI generated.
"You could argue that every AI-generated image actually victimizes thousands of real children," Berman said. "Because they are a part of the formula that goes into creating that AI-generated image."
The proposed legislation has the potential to open up a new avenue of complaints against social media companies, Politico noted. Many of the companies are already battling complaints that they don't do enough to eliminate harmful material from their websites.
Berman's bill comes on the heels of a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year that requires social media platforms to increase their efforts to combat child sexual abuse material. That legislation permits victims to sue the companies for deploying features that led to commercial sexual exploitation.
In September, Newsom's office said in a statement: "California is the global hub for generative artificial intelligence — we are the natural leader in this emerging field of technology — tools that could very well change the world.
"To capture its benefits for the good of society, but also to protect against its potential harms, Governor Newsom issued an executive order today laying out how California's measured approach will focus on shaping the future of ethical, transparent, and trustworthy AI, while remaining the world's AI leader."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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