Texas Legislators Propose Regulations for AI in Adult Content and Political Communication
AUSTIN, Texas — Lawmakers in Texas are taking important steps toward regulating artificial intelligence (AI). A newly proposed set of bills aims to address issues related to explicit content, especially concerning children, and the integrity of election messaging. These efforts reflect a growing bipartisan commitment to manage the challenges posed by AI technologies.
Regulating Explicit Content
The focus on explicit content, especially that which involves minors, has received widespread support across party lines. Recently, the Texas Senate unanimously approved a significant bill aimed at enhancing the legal definition of child pornography. This bill expands the parameters to include AI-generated images or even cartoon representations that depict minors in explicit situations.
According to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Texas must take careful steps as it navigates the digital era. He emphasized the dangers of AI-generated pornography and the necessity to safeguard both Texans and, importantly, children from harmful content created by computers. In light of these concerns, Senate Bill 20, introduced by Republican Pete Flores, seeks to establish a felony offense for possessing any explicit depiction of minors, regardless of whether the image features a real child, a cartoon character, or an AI-generated figure.
Additionally, in the Texas House of Representatives, Democrat Mary Gonzalez has proposed two similar bills that focus on accountability within the industry creating these deep fake technologies. House Bill 581 mandates that AI content generators implement age verification measures to ensure that users are adults. It also requires the assurance that any individuals shown in an explicit image are over 18 years old. Another bill, House Bill 421, would make it compulsory for content creators to obtain consent from all individuals appearing in explicit videos.
Rep. Gonzalez has voiced the urgency of addressing these issues, stressing that without timely regulatory action, countless children could be left vulnerable to the risks associated with such technologies. Rep. Ann Johnson, a Vice Chair in the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee, echoed these sentiments, highlighting Texas’s inadequacies in enforcing protective measures relating to minors and AI.
Regulating Election Messaging
Turning to another pressing issue, former House Speaker Dade Phelan has revived a bill that pertains to political messaging and the use of altered imagery, including AI-generated or deep fake content. This is the first time in four years that Phelan has presented such a measure, signaling a renewed focus on misinformation in political campaigns.
The proposed bill seeks to mandate disclosures on political messages that utilize altered images. While it aims to increase transparency, Phelan faced criticism from those who believe it may negatively impact comedic social media content or memes that involve Texas lawmakers. In response, he reassured the public, stating, “I’m not coming for your memes; if you like your memes, you can keep your memes.” He clarified that the bill does not target social media activities like those on platforms such as X or Facebook.
Phelan acknowledged that the current version of the bill may be adjusted before it passes, potentially encompassing more considerations related to election messaging in the digital landscape. This legislative effort reflects the acknowledgment that as technology evolves, so too must the regulatory frameworks that govern its use in critical areas such as child protection and political integrity.
