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Committeewide attention on bill requiring platform takedowns and expanding penalties for nonconsensual intimate images
Summary
House Bill 12‑48 would expand Maryland law to cover deepfake and computer‑generated intimate imagery, require larger platforms to implement takedown processes with 48‑hour response windows, and strengthen criminal penalties; survivors' advocates and anti‑violence organizations urged passage, emphasizing platform inconsistency and harms to
Delegate Warman presented House Bill 12‑48, which targets nonconsensual distribution of intimate images, including computer‑generated deepfakes, and would require digital platforms with at least 100,000 monthly U.S. users to establish prompt takedown processes and face penalties for noncompliance.
Advocacy testimony: representatives from RAINN (the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) and survivors offered examples of how victims — including teenagers — are harmed by nonconsensual intimate images and deepfakes, called for timely platform takedowns, and urged the committee to adopt one of this session's bills addressing the issue. Molly Montague of RAINN told the committee removal processes are inconsistent and victims need legal tools and platform accountability.
Bill provisions: sponsor explained the bill would expand the definition of covered images to include AI‑generated content and would require covered platforms to act within 48 hours of a proper report and maintain records for legal proceedings. Criminal penalties in the draft could include up to two years in prison and fines up to $5,000 or both for distributing nonconsensual intimate images.
Policy coordination: witnesses urged the committee to choose one legislative vehicle this session to address the problem and noted parallel proposals (including HB 14‑25, the identity/AI bill) may overlap; MCASA cautioned about drafting interactions and urged careful harmonization so survivors receive clear remedies without unintended conflicts between statutes.
No committee vote is recorded in the transcript. Sponsors and advocates urged prompt legislative action to improve platform responses and victim remedies.
