Deepfakes to disseminate nonconsensual porn, influence elections now illegal in MN

How AI and deepfakes are changing politics

MINNEAPOLIS -- A new law in Minnesota makes it illegal to make and disseminate certain images using deepfake technology.

The law, which went into effect Tuesday, makes it a crime to use deepfakes to influence an election or disseminate nonconsensual sexual pornography. 

RELATED: Creating a "lie detector" for deepfakes

The law described deepfakes as an image or video that "is so realistic that a reasonable person would believe it depicts speech or conduct of an individual." It also says the deepfake content relies mostly on technical means, as opposed to someone physically or verbally impersonating another person.

Influencing an election carries a punishment of up to 90 days and/or a $1,000 fine -- unless the perpetrator has been convicted of a similar crime within five years or intended to cause violence or bodily harm.

The punishment for creating deepfake porn is up to three years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.

Read the full bill below:

Other laws that went into effect Tuesday include recreational cannabis for those 21 and older, "Idaho stops" for bicyclists, expanded background checks for private gun transfers, and more.  

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.