Explicit child AI images trigger lawsuits, regulation demands
ROANOKE, VA. (WFXR) – According to the U.S. Department of Justice, transforming innocent photographs or images of children into exploitive or sexually explicit content is a serious federal crime often prosecuted as child sexual abuse material.
Last year lawmakers passed the “Take It Down” act which prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of sexually explicit or AI generated images. and requires many online platforms to remove the images after notice.
John Fishwick with Fishwick and Associates Law Firm says the damage can last a lifetime.
“It could have real long-term impact on somebody’s life and career, anytime you’re exploiting the image of somebody, but particularly a child,” said Fishwick.
It’s hitting close to home, in Tennessee, three families are suing an AI platform wanting to hold it liable after a teenage boy allegedly used it to make explicit images and videos of his classmates.
Paula Eldred says her teenage daughter was a victim, and months later is still dealing with the fallout.
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“She has struggled. I think they all have that this is just not how you think your senior year is going to be. Detectives and news and lawyers, dealing with adult things that they shouldn’t have to deal with,” said Eldred.
Jake Bryant, an associate attorney at Gentry Locke in Roanoke, says the law has struggled to keep pace with how quickly AI technology is advancing.
“There’s currently another bill that passed the Senate. It’s currently awaiting review in the House called The Defiance Act. It would give a civil right of action to folks who were affected by these things,” said Bryant.
Fishwick says until more regulations are put in place courtrooms may becomes the front line in holding people and AI companies accountable.
“Lawsuits are really the new frontier to prevent practices by AI, that are not good and or fact could be in certain such situations, illegal,” said Fishwick.
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