Ohio advances bill against AI child sex abuse material, deepfakes - The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio Senate passes bill to criminalize AI-generated child sexual abuse material and deepfakes used for financial scams or defamation.
- Incident date
- May 2026
- Target
- Terry Johnson's mother
The Ohio Senate has unanimously approved a bill targeting AI-generated child sex abuse material and malicious deepfakes. The legislation aims to criminalize the creation, transfer, or possession of sexually-oriented material of a minor made with AI, as well as the use of deepfakes to induce financial decisions, damage reputations, or depict individuals in sexual situations.
What happened
Senate Bill 163 requires generative AI content to be watermarked. Sen. Terry Johnson, a co-sponsor of the bill, shared that his mother lost money to a deepfake scam where someone impersonated her granddaughter. The bill addresses concerns about the increasing sophistication of AI and its potential for misuse.