Two Men Charged Under New US Law for Creating AI-Generated Pornography
Two men charged with creating AI-generated porn under new US law targeting 'deepfakes'

Image: The Star
Two men, Cornelius Shannon and Arturo Hernandez, have been charged by US federal prosecutors for creating AI-generated pornographic content of female celebrities under the new Take It Down Act. This law, enacted to combat deepfake pornography, carries penalties of up to two years in prison. The cases highlight the growing concerns over the misuse of generative AI technologies.
- 01Cornelius Shannon published at least 240 albums of AI-generated pornography featuring various female public figures.
- 02Arturo Hernandez's deepfakes included both celebrities and private individuals, including recent high school graduates.
- 03The Take It Down Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump, aims to impose stricter penalties on deepfake pornography.
- 04Joseph Nocella, the US attorney in Brooklyn, emphasized that deepfake pornography is not a victimless crime.
- 05The arrests follow a trend of increasing legal actions against the misuse of AI technologies in creating explicit content.
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US federal prosecutors have charged Cornelius Shannon (51) and Arturo Hernandez (20) for creating AI-generated pornographic content under the Take It Down Act, a law aimed at curbing deepfake pornography. Shannon, from New Jersey, is accused of publishing over 240 albums featuring female celebrities, while Hernandez, from Texas, produced deepfakes involving both celebrities and private individuals, including recent high school graduates. The Take It Down Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump, imposes stricter penalties for publishing AI-generated deepfakes and revenge porn, with offenders facing up to two years in prison. Joseph Nocella, the US attorney in Brooklyn, stated that the actions of the defendants “degraded and violated” numerous women, underscoring the serious implications of deepfake pornography as not being a victimless crime. These arrests are part of a broader trend as generative AI tools become more sophisticated, raising concerns about the online dissemination of explicit fakes, often involving minors. Recently, an Ohio man became the first convicted under this law for generating child sexual abuse material using AI.
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The charges against Shannon and Hernandez highlight the legal consequences of creating and distributing deepfake pornography, emphasizing the need for awareness and caution in the use of AI technologies.
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