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SB 2202 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Images or audio altered or created by digitization; criminalize dissemination of in certain circumstances.

SB 2202 would criminalize sharing digitally altered or AI-generated images/audio (including deepfakes) depicting someone in intimate situations without their consent, when shared with intent to cause emotional, financial, or physical harm. It directly affects victims of non-consensual image sharing and perpetrators who create or disseminate such content, with penalties ranging from misdemeanors for under-21 offenders to felonies for adults (up to penalties similar to voyeurism laws). Key provisions include defining "digitization" broadly to cover AI tools, requiring intent to cause harm, and listing exceptions for law enforcement, journalism, and public exposure. The bill died in committee on March 4, 2025, and never became law.
Issues: ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization of non-consensual deepfakes, adding new offenses under criminal justice system per indicators.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyCriminalizes non-consensual deepfakes to protect privacy, directly advancing data privacy protections in digital rights context.95% confidence
Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 7, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Current version · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended from its original introduction to its final Senate version, primarily by reorganizing the structure and clarifying the definitions and penalties. The most significant substantive change is the addition of a new Section 3, which criminalizes the dissemination of non-intimate images or audio created or altered by digitization, expanding the bill's scope beyond just intimate images. Additionally, the age-based penalty structure was modified, with the felony/misdemeanor distinction now applying to the age of the actor rather than being tied to specific subsections, and the repeat offense provision was consolidated into a single subsection.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include non-intimate images or audio created or altered by digitization, in addition to intimate images. The definition of 'publish' was also modified to clarify the threshold for dissemination to the public.
SCOPE

Added Section 3 to criminalize the dissemination of non-intimate images or audio created or altered by digitization, expanding the bill beyond just intimate images.

Added Section 4 to clarify that the criminal offenses and penalties authorized by the act are in addition to any other criminal offenses and penalties authorized by law.

DEFINITION

Reorganized and clarified the definitions section, particularly the definition of 'publish' to include clearer thresholds for public dissemination.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified the penalty structure to apply felony/misdemeanor distinctions based on the age of the actor rather than specific subsections, and consolidated repeat offense provisions.

TIMELINE

Added Section 6 to specify that the act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 6, 2025

How they voted

50–1
Passed
Total votes 51
Feb 6, 2025
D Democratic16
15 Yea 1 Nay
93% Yea
R Republican35
35 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
3
Feb 10, 2025
Committee
Referred To Judiciary B
lower
Feb 7, 2025
Introduced
Transmitted To House
upper
Feb 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Title Suff Do Pass
upper
Jan 20, 2025
Committee
Referred To Judiciary, Division B
upper
0 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.