The Minnesota Senate voted unanimously, 65-0, to pass a bill banning websites and applications that offer tools to create realistic nude deepfakes of identifiable individuals. The legislation now heads to Governor Tim Walz for signature.
Under the new law, companies that operate or control such platforms are prohibited from allowing users to access or generate these images, and from advertising the services. Victims can sue for damages, including mental anguish, with courts authorized to award up to triple actual damages, plus punitive damages and attorney fees.
The state attorney general can enforce the law, with civil penalties of up to $500,000 per use. Proceeds go to victim services, including support for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.
The bill targets widely accessible tools requiring little technical expertise, often used by minors. If signed, the law takes effect August 1.
This move follows high-profile incidents, including when Elon Musk's xAI tool Grok generated deepfakes of Taylor Swift. xAI faces a federal class action from minors and a consumer protection lawsuit from Baltimore over alleged child sexual abuse material generated by Grok.
Public Citizen co-president Robert Weissman says these tools overwhelmingly target women, with over 90% of victims under 18. He notes that state laws complement federal efforts like the Take It Down Act, which criminalizes distribution of nonconsensual intimate images.