Bill Banning AI-Generated Child Porn Passes IL House

ILLINOIS — Calling it a "vital piece of legislation," State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview) and fellow members of the Illinois House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Thursday that prohibits the use of AI technology to create child pornography that either involves real children or obscene imagery. Gong-Gershowitz sponsored House Bill 4623, which was introduced by Attorney General Kwame Raoul earlier this month.

The measure now moves to the Illinois Senate for a vote.

Separately, the bill also prohibits the non-consensual dissemination of certain AI-generated sexual images. According to Raoul, the measure builds on work already being done by his office in collaboration with state and federal law enforcement agencies, to crack down on child pornography throughout Illinois.

"Child pornography is a reprehensible crime that victimizes children and their families each time images are downloaded or shared. Many victims will spend their lives attempting to recover from the trauma of exploitation," Raoul said Thursday. "As this legislation moves to the Senate, it is critical to remember that in addition to victimizing children, the generation of any child pornography imagery perpetuates predatory behavior that we must stop."

Raoul's office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sends CyberTips, or online reports of child pornography, to the task force. According to Raoul, reports to the ICAC increased by 46 percent in 2023 over 2022.

"Generative AI — the kind that can create realistic images and even videos — is already cheap or free," Gong-Gershowitz said. "Disgustingly, this technology is being used to create explicit images depicting children. HB4623 is a vital piece of legislation that will help bring our existing sex offender laws up to speed with this rapidly evolving technology."