Oregon Fights AI Deepfakes With New Protective Law

Oregon lawmakers have advanced a bill to criminalize the spread of AI generated explicit images. This new legislation aims to protect individuals from digital harassment and deepfake pornography.

Oregon Senate passes bill criminalizing AI-generated intimate images (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Oregon Takes a Stand Against AI-Generated Explicit Content

In a decisive move to address the growing issue of digitally created explicit content, the Oregon Senate has passed House Bill 2299 A. This important legislation aims to make it a crime to distribute pornographic or sexually explicit images that have been generated using artificial intelligence. The bill now moves to the governor's desk, awaiting a signature to become official state law.

This legislative action seeks to update existing laws concerning the unlawful dissemination of intimate images by specifically including images that are digitally created, manipulated, or altered by AI.

The Growing Threat of Deepfake Technology

The push for this new law comes as a direct response to a significant increase in AI-generated intimate deepfakes. These digitally altered or fabricated images and videos are becoming increasingly sophisticated and accessible. Troublingly, research indicates that these deepfakes disproportionately victimize women and children, leading to severe emotional distress and reputational harm.

Legislative Journey and Bipartisan Support

Prior to its passage in the Senate, House Bill 2299 A received unanimous approval from the Oregon House in April. This bipartisan support underscores the recognized urgency of addressing this form of digital harm. Representative Kevin L. Mannix (R-Salem) was a vocal supporter, expressing his satisfaction with the House's decision at the time.

"I am very pleased that the House passed this important bill to protect Oregonians–especially women and youth–from being cruelly victimized by the sharing of false, AI-generated intimate images," stated Rep. Mannix. He further added, "It’s my hope that the passage of this bill will prevent more victims from experiencing significant emotional consequences and trauma, as well as damage to their reputations and careers."

You can read past coverage on the Oregon House's initial passage of the bill.

Voices of Victims: The Human Impact

To emphasize the real-world consequences of AI-generated abuse, Rep. Mannix invited Kristi George and her husband, Bill, to the House Floor. Kristi and her daughter have been direct victims of AI-generated "revenge porn," experiencing a profound violation of their privacy.

Rep. Mannix commended Kristi's bravery in coming forward. "Kristi’s courage in stepping forward, not just to tell her story but to fight for change, is extraordinary," he said. "Her voice is helping to expose a dangerous loophole in our legal system—one that we urgently need to close. I want to thank Kristi, sincerely, for her bravery and her commitment to ensuring no one else in Oregon has to suffer what she and her daughter have endured."

Key Provisions of House Bill 2299 A

The newly passed bill updates Oregon's existing statute to explicitly include AI-generated and altered images within the crime of unlawful dissemination of an intimate image. It achieves this by broadening the definition of an "image" to cover digitally created, manipulated, or altered depictions that appear reasonably realistic.

For an action to be considered a crime under this bill, specific conditions must be met:

• The defendant must have intended to harass, humiliate, or injure a victim through the dissemination of the image.
• The victim must have actually experienced harassment, humiliation, or injury as a result.

If these conditions are met, the unlawful dissemination of such an intimate image is classified as a Class A misdemeanor.

What's Next for the Bill?

With passage from both the House and Senate, House Bill 2299 A now awaits the signature of Governor Tina Kotek to officially become law in Oregon. This legislation represents a critical step in adapting legal frameworks to address the challenges posed by advancing AI technologies and protecting individuals from new forms of digital abuse.