- Hinson's bipartisan bill targeting deepfake pornography may spark debate over censorship and First Amendment rights, especially as it amends Section 230 protections for tech platforms (Gazette, 8/2/24).
- The proposed legislation places significant responsibility on tech companies to swiftly remove harmful content, which could raise concerns about feasibility, enforcement, and potential for overreach (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 8/3/24).
- Balancing privacy protections with maintaining free speech and avoiding unconstitutional restrictions is a delicate issue, highlighted by Hinson’s assurances that her bill would not violate the First Amendment.
- Criticism toward Section 230 immunity and push for platform accountability could alienate both tech industry stakeholders and free-speech advocates (Waterloo Courier, 8/4/24).
- Hinson's harsh stance on TikTok and its alleged manipulation of youth could face opposition from users worried about access and business interests concerned with platform stability (Gazette, 3/12/24, Gazette, 4/25/24).
2024: Hinson Introduced Bipartisan Bill Targeting Deepfake Pornography According to The Gazette, "A bipartisan bill being led by Republican Iowa U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and a Massachusetts Democrat will attempt to crack down on the growing threats and distribution of sexually explicit 'deepfakes' on digital platforms. [...] Hinson, of Marion, and U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, of Massachusetts, introduced legislation that would carve out Section 230 protections for Big Tech companies that fail to remove 'deepfake' pornography, including that generated by artificial intelligence, from their platforms." [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 8/2/24]
2024: Hinson's Bill Sought To Hold Online Platforms Responsible For Intimate Deepfakes According to The Gazette, "Hinson's bill seeks to protect Americans' privacy by holding online platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube responsible for cracking down on intimate deepfakes. If not, the companies could lose their legal immunity from lawsuits over content on their platforms." [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 8/2/24]
2024: Hinson Cited Threats Of Deepfakes And Harm To Victims According to The Gazette, "'We know deepfakes and other AI-altered and AI-generated content present a significant and growing threat to our ability to trust what we see online, as well as the potential for bad actors to create malicious deepfake content that can cause serious harm to victims,' Hinson told reporters during a weekly conference call Thursday." [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 8/2/24]
2024: Hinson's Bill Proposed Legal Obligations For Tech Platforms According to The Gazette, "Under the legislation, tech platforms would have a legal obligation to act responsibly in protecting others from harm, which includes having a 'reasonable process' for preventing such privacy violations, which includes 'a clear and accessible process' for reporting, investigating and removing harmful content within 24 hours." [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 8/2/24]
2024: Hinson Emphasized Protecting Kids And Balancing First Amendment Rights According to The Gazette, '"There's a lot of bipartisan momentum here when it comes to protecting our kids online, so I'll continue working to build consensus on that and strike that right balance," she said. "… We were very clear to try to balance that protection with making sure we're holding bad actors accountable."' [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 8/2/24]
2024: Hinson Stated Bill Does Not Violate First Amendment Rights According to The Gazette, 'Hinson said her bill explicitly states that it is not construed to violate First Amendment rights.' [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 8/2/24]
2024: Hinson Expressed Concern Over Impact Of Deepfakes On Children According to The Gazette, '"As a mom, this really worries me. We are seeing our kids grow up in a totally different time. We are in kind of uncharted territory with the rise of social media and how things can quickly spread. "So we have to work together to ensure we're protecting kids from these dangers online, while still ensuring that our Big Tech companies are doing their part to keep our users, and particularly minors, safe online."' [Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 8/2/24]
2024: Hinson Introduced Bipartisan Bill To Combat AI 'Deepfake' Pornography According to Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, "A bipartisan bill being led by Republican Iowa U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and a Massachusetts Democrat will attempt to crack down on the growing threats and distribution of sexually explicit 'deepfakes' on digital platforms." [Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 8/3/24]
2024: Hinson's Bill Sought To Amend Section 230 Protections For Tech Companies Failing To Remove Deepfake Porn According to Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, "Hinson, of Marion, and U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, of Massachusetts, introduced legislation that would carve out Section 230 protections for Big Tech companies that fail to remove 'deepfake' pornography, including that generated by artificial intelligence, from their platforms." [Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 8/3/24]
2024: Hinson Emphasized The Threat Of Deepfakes To Online Trust And Victims According to Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, "We know deepfakes and other AI-altered and AI-generated content present a significant and growing threat to our ability to trust what we see online, as well as the potential for bad actors to create malicious deepfake content that can cause serious harm to victims," Hinson told reporters during a weekly conference call Thursday. [Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 8/3/24]
2024: Hinson's Bill Required Tech Platforms To Remove Harmful Content Within 24 Hours According to Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, "Under the legislation, tech platforms would have a legal obligation to act responsibly in protecting others from harm, which includes having a 'reasonable process' for preventing such privacy violations, which includes 'a clear and accessible process' for reporting, investigating and removing harmful content within 24 hours." [Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 8/3/24]
2024: Hinson Criticized Section 230 Immunity For Platforms That Don't Protect Users From Deepfakes According to Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 'Big Tech companies shouldn't be able to hide behind Section 230 if they aren't protecting users from deepfakes and other intimate privacy violations,' Hinson said. [Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, 8/3/24]
2024: Ashley Hinson Introduced Bipartisan Bill Targeting Deepfake Pornography According to Waterloo Courier (Iowa), "A bipartisan bill being led by Republican Iowa U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and a Massachusetts Democrat will attempt to crack down on the growing threats and distribution of sexually explicit 'deepfakes' on digital platforms." [Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 8/4/24]
2024: Hinson Sought To Limit Section 230 Protections For Platforms Failing To Remove Deepfake Pornography According to Waterloo Courier (Iowa), "Hinson, of Marion, and U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, of Massachusetts, introduced legislation that would carve out Section 230 protections for Big Tech companies that fail to remove 'deepfake' pornography, including that generated by artificial intelligence, from their platforms." [Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 8/4/24]
2024: Hinson Aimed To Hold Tech Platforms Accountable For Intimate Deepfakes According to Waterloo Courier (Iowa), "Hinson’s bill seeks to protect Americans’ privacy by holding online platforms — such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube — responsible for cracking down on intimate deepfakes. If not, the companies could lose their legal immunity from lawsuits over content on their platforms." [Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 8/4/24]
2024: Hinson Called Deepfakes A Growing Threat To Online Trust And Safety According to Waterloo Courier (Iowa), "We know deepfakes and other AI-altered and AI-generated content present a significant and growing threat to our ability to trust what we see online, as well as the potential for bad actors to create malicious deepfake content that can cause serious harm to victims,' Hinson told reporters during a weekly conference call Thursday." [Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 8/4/24]
2024: Hinson Argued Big Tech Should Lose Immunity If Not Protecting Users From Deepfakes According to Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 'Big Tech companies shouldn't be able to hide behind Section 230 if they aren’t protecting users from deepfakes and other intimate privacy violations,' Hinson said. [Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 8/4/24]
2024: Hinson Emphasized Bipartisan Support For Online Safety According to Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 'There’s a lot of bipartisan momentum here when it comes to protecting our kids online, so I’ll continue working to build consensus on that and strike that right balance,' she said. '... We were very clear to try to balance that protection with making sure we’re holding bad actors accountable.' [Waterloo Courier (Iowa), 8/4/24]
2021: Hinson Co-Sponsored Amendment To Hold Tech Firms Accountable For Censorship According to Gazette, "CASE IT Act: Amends Section 230 to hold Big Tech accountable for selective censorship." [Gazette, 4/16/21]
2024: Hinson Accused TikTok Of Manipulating American Youth According to The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 'The Marion Republican accused TikTok of lying to and manipulating its users, many of whom are U.S. youth. "It is so unacceptable. And TikTok's disregard to kid's mental health was really on full display," Hinson said. "And, quite frankly, they proved our point for us."' [The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 3/12/24]
March 2024: Hinson Criticized TikTok For Manipulating Users And Ignoring Kids’ Mental Health According to Gazette, "The Marion Republican accused TikTok of lying to and manipulating its users, many of whom are U.S. youth. 'It is so unacceptable. And TikTok's disregard to kid's mental health was really on full display,' Hinson said. 'And, quite frankly, they proved our point for us.'" [Gazette, 3/13/24]
March 2024: Hinson Cited TikTok Alert To Users As Security Concern According to Telegraph Herald, "In her remarks on the floor, Hinson noted TikTok is urging users to oppose the legislation, leading to a slew of calls to lawmakers. 'TikTok's gross stunt proved our point,' Hinson said in her remarks. 'What if, on election day, TikTok sent out an alert saying our elections were canceled? We must act.'" [Telegraph Herald, 3/17/24]
March 2024: Hinson Claimed TikTok Alert Demonstrated Threat Of Platform According to Telegraph Herald, "In her remarks on the floor, Hinson noted TikTok is urging users to oppose the legislation, leading to a slew of calls to lawmakers. 'TikTok's gross stunt proved our point,' Hinson said in her remarks. 'What if, on election day, TikTok sent out an alert saying our elections were canceled? We must act.'" [Telegraph Herald, 3/17/24]
April 2024: Hinson Asserted TikTok Move Sets Positive Precedent On Data Security According to Gazette, Hinson said, 'If it sets a precedent that we're not going to allow our adversaries to have control over Americans data, then I'm glad that precedent is being set.' [Gazette, 4/25/24]
April 2024: Hinson Described TikTok Legislation As Balancing Security And User Access According to Gazette, Hinson said, 'This is not about eliminating your platform or your ability to get your message out,' she said. 'This is about making sure that Americans data is protected, and I think we can have both, and I think that this bill does that balance.' [Gazette, 4/25/24]
April 2024: Hinson Predicted TikTok Will Continue With An American Buyer Within A Year According to Gazette, 'And I think within a year you'll see … there will be an American buyer who makes sure that our small business owners and content creators and that kids can still continue to watch the content that they want.' [Gazette, 4/25/24]