The Florida House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill 116-0 on Wednesday to have victims of deepfake sexual images and copies of their depictions removed from online platforms.
Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan (R-Jacksonville) sponsored the bill (HB 1161). Rep. Duggan explained the bill on the House floor.
"The bill revises provisions of Florida's deepfake law to require current platforms such as websites and online services to remove altered sexual depictions and copies of such depictions from their platforms upon request of the victim," Duggan said.
Rep. Ashley Gantt (D-Miami) thanked Duggan for the bill. Rep. Gantt is a former high school teacher who had students affected by deepfakes.
"It is such a violation when you find out that something has been posted of you," Gantt said. "We've seen it from celebrities. I've had teammates experience it. It was always this feeling of helplessness."
"This bill addresses something as we traverse the terrain of AI (Artificial Intelligence), we see these images and these things, and they're created. You're just like, how the heck did this happen? What this bill does is it empowers victims to know that they have recourse," Gantt added.
Gantt also thanked Duggan for giving victims a voice, especially with AI becoming more prevalent.
In closing, Rep. Duggan said the bill is named "Brooke's Law" after Brooke Curry, a victim of deepfake images before her junior year of high school at Bishop Kenny in Jacksonville.
"She is no longer a victim. She is victorious. And I want to honor her courage and be willing to tell her story," Duggan said.
Sen. Alexis Calatayud (R-Miami) filed a similar Senate version of the bill (SB 1400). Her bill is awaiting Senate consideration.
If fully passed and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, HB 1161/SB 1400 would take effect upon becoming law.
