Social media companies would need to take steps to remove unauthorized deepfake pornography from their platforms under bipartisan legislation reintroduced by Sens. Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar on Thursday.
The rise of non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes—fabricated videos, audio, or images whose creation has been fueled by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence—has prompted national outcry and raised widespread concern on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers have sought to combat the online spread of such unauthorized content and protect victims, which have ranged from teenage girls to high-profile celebrities.