{
  "id": 45712,
  "title": "Minnesotas nudification ban takes effect after judge rejects xAIs bid to pause it",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/minnesotas-nudification-ban-takes-effect-after-judge-rejects-xais-bid",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-02T13:33:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mashable",
    "slug": "mashable",
    "url": "https://mashable.com/tech/judge-rejects-xai-request-to-pause-nudification-ban"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On August 1, 2026, Minnesota's ban on AI \"nudification\" technology officially came into force after a federal judge, Donovan W. Frank, rejected Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, request for a temporary restraining order. The judge deemed xAI's claim of urgent harm unfounded as their motion was filed nearly three months after the law's signing and just three days before its enforcement. The newly enacted law, H.F. 1606, prohibits websites, apps, and software from allowing users to \"nudify\" images or generate such alterations. It also prohibits advertising or promoting these services. The law defines \"nudify\" as any alteration that makes an image appear to depict an intimate part not originally present, in a realistic manner. An exemption is granted for tools requiring users' technical skills to perform the alteration. Violations could result in civil penalties of up to $500,000 per instance, enforced by the Attorney General or through private lawsuits for damages and injunctions. The law's revenue is earmarked for grants supporting survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other crimes. xAI's lawsuit argues that the law violates the First Amendment and is overly broad, seeking alternatives with less restrictive measures. Governor Tim Walz expressed readiness to challenge the law in court. The law's introduction came in response to xAI's Grok chatbot generating sexualized deepfakes after a December update, leading to international backlash and threats of removal from the Apple App Store.",
  "summary": "Minnesota's nudification law took effect Aug. 1 after a judge denied xAI's bid to block it; injunction hearing set for Aug. 19.",
  "key_points": [
    "Minnesota's AI nudification ban takes effect August 1, 2026",
    "Judge Donovan W. Frank rejects xAI's restraining order request",
    "Law prohibits image alteration, advertising, with $500k penalties"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}