Minnesota bill targets AI 'nudification' deepfake tools

Minnesota lawmakers are again pushing to outlaw AI "nudification" technology that generates non‑consensual sexual deepfakes, a move that would directly affect anyone in the Twin Cities using or targeted by these apps. HF 1606, sponsored by Rep. Jessica Hanson (DFL–Burnsville), would make it illegal to access, download or use websites, apps or software to "nudify" an image or video of someone, and would also ban advertising or promoting products that offer that capability. The bill creates a civil path for victims to sue those who generate nudified deepfakes, going beyond a 2023 state law that already criminalized distribution of some deepfake pornography and political fakes but did not specifically ban nudification tools themselves. A similar proposal collapsed last session after being rolled into a larger public‑safety omnibus, but lawmakers from both parties are now framing the tech as predatory and escalating, especially against women and minors. For metro residents, the measure would define clear legal lines for a type of harassment that is already showing up in schools and workplaces even if many cases never hit the news.