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This story was originally published by The 19th.

The Minnesota Senate on Wednesday passed the country’s first ban on “nudification” apps 65-0, addressing one of the main sources of nonconsensual deepfakes. The bill was passed by the state House last week and now just needs the governor’s signature to become law.

Advocates are optimistic Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, will sign legislation soon.

This bill was the first attempt in the country to ban websites or apps that promote digital undressing, where photographs of fully clothed people can be uploaded and manipulated with generative AI to appear nude.

These services power nonconsensual intimate imagery and don’t require any technical expertise to use. Google and Apple ban nudification apps from their respective web stores, but research by the Tech Transparency Project showed they remain easily accessible. Investigations from multiple news organizations have found that Meta continues to allow these apps to advertise on their social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.

This blend means the tools are easy for kids to use; the independent media organization Indicator has tracked 23 cases of deepfake abuse targeting school communities in the United States since 2023.

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Federal attempts to create a civil right of action for survivors of nonconsensual deepfakes have stalled in Congress. The DEFIANCE Act has yet to make it to the House floor, though it has been passed by the Senate twice. Last year’s Take It Down Act made it a federal crime to disseminate nonconsensual intimate images, regardless of provenance, but does not allow survivors to sue for damages.

Minnesota House File 1606 would allow survivors to sue the owners of nudification apps for damages and empower the state attorney general to collect........

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