Minnesota bill would make owners of ‘nudification’ websites and applications liable for damages

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A bill being discussed in the Minnesota House of Representatives would make owners of websites and software liable if they allow their product to be used to make nude images of people without their consent.

According to HF 1606, nudifying is where an image or video is altered to reveal an intimate part not depicted in the original unaltered image or video, or when someone makes a revealing image or video of a person that is realistic enough for people to think it is real.

Victims will be able to sue for compensatory damages.

Minnesota’s Attorney General would also have the option to bring civil penalties.

DFL Rep. Kristen Bahner, of Maple Grove, shared with the committee her experience of being a victim of nudification in the past and that the technology now is making it easier to make.

“I was actually the victim of this for of – or this issue almost 20 years ago,” Bahner said. “And in that time, the technology has improved and (has) gotten exponentially better.”

The bill has been approved to go on to the House Judiciary, Finance, and Civil Law Committee.