Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin of New Jersey has joined a bipartisan group of 47 state attorneys general urging technology companies to take stronger measures against the spread of computer-generated deepfake nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII). The coalition is addressing major search engines and payment platforms, calling for actions to prevent the distribution and monetization of such content.
Platkin emphasized the serious consequences of these practices, stating, “The spread of deepfakes creates new avenues for abuse that must be halted. Sexual imagery shared without consent—often referred to as revenge porn—is devastating, no matter how it originated. Similarly, using AI technology to engage children in sexually explicit conversations is unconscionable and inexcusable. I won’t let technology firms abuse New Jersey residents.”
Deepfake NCII is increasingly recognized as a global issue that can cause significant harm, especially to women and girls. Cases have been reported involving victims from various backgrounds worldwide, including celebrities and teenagers in several states and countries.
The coalition sent a letter to Google Search, Microsoft Bing, and Yahoo! Search highlighting what they see as insufficient efforts by search engines to curb the creation and accessibility of deepfake content. The letter suggests that these companies implement safeguards similar to those used for blocking searches related to dangerous activities or self-harm.
Another letter was addressed to payment service providers such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. It urges these companies to remove payment capabilities from those found distributing deepfake NCII materials.
Additionally, New Jersey joined 44 other states in warning AI and social media companies about potential repercussions if their platforms allow chatbots that engage children in inappropriate sexual conversations. This follows reports citing internal Meta documents which indicate that AI Assistants were allowed to interact with minors in ways described as “flirt[ing] and engag[ing] in romantic roleplay with children” as young as eight years old.
In their communication with tech firms, the attorneys general stated: “conduct that would be inappropriate if done by humans is not excusable simply because it is done by a machine.” They referenced instances where chatbots have allegedly encouraged harmful behaviors among teenagers.
“When your AI products encounter children, we need you to see them through the eyes of a parent, not the eyes of a predator,” one letter reads.
The effort regarding deepfake pornography was led by Vermont alongside co-sponsors Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Utah, and New Jersey. Other participating jurisdictions include numerous states across the country along with U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and Guam.
