Source: penncapital-star.com 11/10/25
A two-hour state Senate committee hearing explored the use of artificial intelligence to create images and videos depicting children — sometimes real, sometimes “synthetic” — in sexually suggestive poses or acts.
Possession of these kinds of images is already illegal in Pennsylvania, but the technology continues to develop faster than legislation can keep up. Protecting children “from the harmful aspects of AI” is an ongoing goal for Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery), whose newly authored bill was the focus of Monday’s Senate Majority Policy meeting.
“We want to make sure our children are protected from bad actors,” said Pennycuick. “Children are now targeted in ways we never thought possible.”
Mandated reporters in the state — including health care practitioners, teachers, clergymen and more — already must report suspected child abuse, which includes explicit materials, to law enforcement. Senate Bill 1050, would expand that to include content made by AI and builds upon previous laws that targeted deepfakes.
“Every day, I see the lifelong impact of …
These idiots need to stop using the word “loophole”. Where technology is today is not where it was yesterday when the law was written. If the law had been written and this technology was available then and they missed it, then there is a loophole, but there wasn’t. People need to learn their language arts again to use words correctly and stop misapplying them.
It is not just minors who are in the applicability of this technology either, but anyone, minor or adult. By not focusing on an overall solution, then they’ll need to go back and redo their efforts. With that being said, if it is synthetic, where is the line of 1A in it? At the same time, how can they prove the ongoing harm that is be allegedly perpetuated onto minors if there are no physical minors involved but only captured or created images? The same could be said for adults.
It is also interesting that three minors have been charged with producing CP using this tech and the alleged images of other students therein. I believe it is long past the time students from 13-18 yrs old need to be taught annually the laws which are allegedly broken the most times. A mass student class in the gym so they are aware of the laws they need to be aware of and the consequences of them. They will never truly know the laws (which is not a defense), but to not teach them, is on the parents and the schools, IMO.