Iowa House passes bills with penalties for nonconsensual AI-generated pornography

Iowa lawmakers are advancing bills that will make it easier for law enforcement to prosecute nonconsensual AI-generated pornography using someone's likeness, often known as "deepfakes."

Two bills dealing with the subject passed the Iowa House on Wednesday, and one of those is headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk.

House File 2240 would criminalize the distribution of pornographic images of adults that are created or altered using artificial intelligence or other means.

"By mapping on a victim’s face into pornographic or photographic material, a defendant can distribute the fake content to extort or harass the intended victim," said the bill's author, Rep. Helena Hayes, R-New Sharon. "This content is not only becoming more realistic but also much easier to create."

Iowa's current harassment law already prohibits disseminating, publishing or posting sexual images of another person if the person does not consent to the images' distribution.

The bill would make clear that the law covers someone whose recognizable image is altered to depict them engaging in a sex act.

The crime would be an aggravated misdemeanor, which carries a two-year sentence.

Senate File 2243 also received a unanimous House vote Wednesday after passing the Senate unanimously earlier this week.

The bill would make clear that using the likeness of an identifiable minor to create an altered fake pornographic image is covered by Iowa's current law prohibiting the sexual exploitation of a minor, including the possession or purchase of pornographic images of children.

The bill's Senate floor manager, Sen. Kevin Alons, R-Salix, said the bill addresses a gap in the law.

"Iowa’s children must be protected from exploitation by advancing technology," he said. "This bill will ensure the existing felony penalties for exploitation of a minor also apply when AI is utilized for this crime."

A first offense violation is a class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, while a second offense would be a class C felony, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa lawmakers pass bills with penalties for AI-generated pornography