CALIFORNIA – California attorney general Rob Bonta joined 47 attorneys general in urging search and payment platforms to stop facilitating nonconsensual deepfake pornography.
Deepfakes are AI-generated videos, images, or audio that appear real.
The attorneys general sent the letters to Google Search, Microsoft Bing, Yahoo! Search, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Google Pay and Apple Pay.
They urged companies to communicate, share current efforts, and commit to limiting the spread of harmful deepfake content.
“Tools that allow people to generate intimate images and videos of real people without their consent can cause significant harm to the public — particularly to women and girls. These images have been used to bully, harass, and exploit people all over the world,” said Bonta.
Search engines can limit results
Recent analyses show that around 98% of deepfake videos circulating online are nonconsensual porn, nearly all of which target women.
Search engine platforms can limit access to harmful content, as seen with queries like “how to build a bomb” or “how to kill yourself,” which redirects users to safe, informative resources.
Queries such as “how to make deepfake porn” or “nudify apps” often lead directly to tools, content and lists of apps that create nonconsensual sexual imagery, with minimal warnings or restrictions.
The attorneys general urged them to treat deepfake nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII) like other dangerous content by limiting exposure, adding warnings, and redirecting users away from it.
Some deepfake porn creators display Visa, Mastercard logos
Payment platforms process online transactions for content and services, and their terms of service generally prohibit use for harmful content. The attorneys general urge platforms to crack down on NCII and block profiteering.
Some platforms have previously blocked payments for other harmful activities.
Yet sellers of deepfake NCII still use services like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay – even displaying the companies’ logos.
The letter calls for more aggressive identification and removal of sellers and content. It emphasized that strict enforcement is essential to slow the spread of deepfake NCII.
Some action has been taken, but officials hope platforms will do more to prevent their services from facilitating this content.
Letters sent to top 12 AI companies about chatbot interactions with kids
This week, Bonta also warned Anthropic, Apple, Chai AI, Google, Luka Inc., Meta, Microsoft, Nomi AI, OpenAI, Perplexity AI, Replika, and xAI – the top 12 AI, companies that they will be held accountable if their technology harms children.
This followed reports of inappropriate AI-chatbot interactions.
Earlier this year, Bonta issued legal advisories reminding consumers of their rights and advising AI businesses and healthcare entities to comply with California law.
In recent months, he sent letters to Congressional leaders opposing a 10-year ban on states from enforcing any AI-related law or regulation. He argued the rapidly evolving AI requires flexibility and responsiveness and urged lawmakers to remove the provision.
The ban was rejected in July.
Bonta says that as technology evolves, he is committed to working with industries to ensure AI benefits, not harms, society.
