SACRAMENTO (February 4, 2025) – Yesterday, Assemblymember Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach) introduced AB 392, which would require users to verify age and consent when uploading sexually explicit material to adult media sites.
“In our hyper-technological age, it is easy for sexually explicit material to end up online. Once this content is online, it is extremely difficult to remove,” said Assemblymember Dixon. “We must look for every opportunity to protect Californians from having their personal images and videos uploaded without their consent.”
One in 12 people have been a victim of image-based sexual abuse and anyone can become the next victim. The Protect Act would require that prior to sexually explicit content being uploaded to adult media sites, a user must ensure that every individual depicted in the content is at least 18 years of age and have provided their consent, under penalty of perjury. It will also require sufficient information to ensure the uploader can be contacted in cases where they did not provide the necessary consent and age verifications.
Uldouz Wallace is a survivor of the 2014 iCloud Hack/Leak in which her private images and videos were auctioned and leaked onto adult media sites without her consent. Wallace has introduced the Protect Act in other State Legislatures and in Congress. She created a nonprofit organization called Foundation Ra to raise awareness of the issue and to protect victims of image-based sexual abuse.
“The Protect Act is the only bill that will block abuse from happening in the first place and require users who upload sexually explicit material to verify the age and consent of the individuals featured within the content. This verification technology already exists, but unfortunately there is no requirement in law to implement it,” said Wallace. “We need the Protect Act now. This is just common sense to ensure a safe online space for children, women and men.”
“I am honored to work with Uldouz on the Protect Act,” said Assemblymember Dixon. “Her story is gut wrenching, and it is important for us to use this opportunity to continue the conversation of protecting all Californians from becoming victims of image-based sexual abuse.”
Foundation Ra is a nonprofit organization that can assist in getting non-consensual materials off the internet. For assistance, find the organization’s offered resources here.