Senate Passes Blessing, Johnson Bill Criminalizing AI Child Pornograpahy

COLUMBUS—The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 163 last week, sponsored by State Senator Louis Blessing III (R-Colerain Township) and State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott), to criminalize making, sending, or possessing AI-generated child pornography.

"Setting guardrails in Ohio law for emerging technologies prevents the possibility of further harm," said Senator Blessing. "Holding bad actors accountable for exploiting AI technology while also establishing standards for AI systems strengthens Ohio's judicial system. I'm grateful for the support this bill has received in the Senate, and I look forward to seeing it discussed in the House."

"It's hard to imagine anyone creating depictions of children being harmed," said Senator Johnson. "Sadly, it is necessary for Ohio to ensure protections are in place to shield the most vulnerable from abuse of this technology. I'm grateful for the Senate prioritizing this bill and look forward to its quick passage in the House."

SB 163 adds the creation of artificially generated image of a minor to existing child pornography laws. The legislation also requires AI systems to include a watermark on AI-generated images and videos to indicate it was created with AI. If the watermark is removed with intent of concealing that the images are AI-generated, and a complaint is filed, the Attorney General's Office has six months to investigate. After six months, the complainant can pursue legal action.

The Ohio Senate sent the bill Ohio House of Representatives for further consideration.

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