Westfield, NJ fake porn prompts bill to limit AI’s influence

A shocking incident out of Westfield has prompted a New Jersey congressman to craft a bill that aims to put a tighter leash on content created by artificial intelligence (AI).

U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J. 7th District, is the sponsor of the AI Labeling Act of 2023, which would help people know when they are viewing AI-made content, rather than genuine photos or text.

Specifically, under the bill, developers of AI systems would be forced to display a disclosure that identifies content that had been created through their software.

Fake pornographic images of female students at Westfield High School — aka deepfakes — recently made the rounds among the school community, prompting a letter sent home to parents by the school principal. Real images of the girls from social media were used to create the explicit images using AI software.

"As a father, I am deeply disturbed by how effortlessly this kind of technology can be used in an explicit nature and minors can easily be the victims," said Kean, a resident of Westfield.

Kean said he and his team have spoken with the families involved in the incident, in hopes of finding a way to prevent something similar from ever happening again.

"Artificial intelligence is progressing astoundingly fast, and so are the companies behind this development," Kean said. "We are living in a highly advanced technological world that is ever-changing and proper oversight is necessary."

Among other moves, Kean's bill would establish a group of AI developers, social media platforms, academic, and members of government that's tasked with finding the most effective way to provide more transparency when AI content is being shared.

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