HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is co-leading a bipartisan coalition of 47 attorneys general urging major search engines and online payment platforms to take stronger measures against the creation and distribution of nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII), commonly known as “deepfakes” and “revenge porn.”
In letters sent to companies such as Google, Bing, and major digital payment providers, the coalition highlights the growing dangers posed by AI-generated sexual imagery and demands that tech companies adopt more robust safeguards to protect the public, particularly minors, from exploitation and harm.
Deepfakes Pose Rising Risks
According to the coalition, deepfake technology has enabled the rapid and widespread creation of manipulated explicit imagery, often without the consent of the individuals depicted. These materials have become increasingly pervasive online, with damaging impacts on victims’ mental health, safety, and privacy.
“The rise of artificial intelligence has unfortunately enabled the widespread dissemination of deepfakes and other illicit digital content that has a direct impact on the mental health and wellbeing of Pennsylvanians, particularly our young people,” Attorney General Sunday said. “And the reality is these mega search engine companies and pay apps are reaping profits from the existence of this despicable and dehumanizing content. It is time those companies are accountable for their complicity in this content being so rampantly available online.”
Officials warn that women and girls are disproportionately targeted by these exploitative practices, with victims ranging from celebrities, such as Taylor Swift, to school-aged children across the United States and globally.
Calls for Stricter Oversight
The coalition’s letters to search engine operators criticize existing gaps in limiting access to explicit, AI-generated content and urge companies to adopt stronger measures such as:
- Adding warnings and redirects to deter searches related to deepfake content.
- Expanding safeguards modeled after current practices that restrict harmful search results, such as guides on self-harm or bomb-making.
- Enhancing detection mechanisms to block or limit the dissemination of explicit deepfake imagery.
Separate letters to online payment platforms urge companies to deny services to sellers connected to deepfake NCII creation and distribution, remove such vendors from their networks, and actively monitor for financial transactions linked to these exploitative practices.
Broad Bipartisan Support
The effort is co-sponsored by Attorney General Sunday alongside Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes Brown. The letters were authored by Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark and joined by attorneys general representing 47 states and U.S. territories, including California, Florida, Texas, New York, Washington, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Growing Pressure on Big Tech
The move reflects mounting bipartisan pressure on Big Tech to take responsibility for the harms created by rapidly advancing AI technologies. While search engines and payment platforms have historically implemented measures to restrict access to some forms of dangerous online content, the attorneys general argue that similar protections are urgently needed to combat the proliferation of AI-generated sexual exploitation.
With deepfake tools becoming more sophisticated and accessible, state officials warn that without decisive industry action, victims — especially minors — will remain vulnerable to manipulation, intimidation, and abuse.
The coalition’s demands underscore a growing national effort to hold technology companies accountable and strengthen protections for users as artificial intelligence reshapes the digital landscape.
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