Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who sponsored SB 926 and SB 981, applauded their signing into law.

"This change in law was urgently needed to close a serious loophole in California revenge porn law, which meant victims had no recourse and law enforcement had no tools to combat the nonconsensual distribution of sexually explicit deepfakes," he said. "Sexually explicit deepfakes, the vast majority of which target women, can cause lasting trauma and distress."