Missouri Congressman Breaks Ranks on Revenge Porn Bill

Rep. Eric Burlison stood nearly alone Monday when he voted against a landmark bill aimed at protecting people from revenge porn and AI-created fake nudes. The Missouri Republican was one of just two House members opposing legislation that sailed through with backing from both parties and First Lady Melania Trump.

The vote put Burlison in an awkward spot. He’s spent months pushing for AI development as chair of a House tech subcommittee. But when it came to cracking down on AI’s darker side, he wasn’t on board.

As for the silence immediately after the Congressman’s vote, “There’s been some confusion,” Nate Lucas, the Congressman’s Communications Director, told Metro Voice in a phone call Tuesday.  Lucas went on to provide a statement from the Congressman.

“Sharing non-consensual intimate imagery is abhorrent, but this bill unnecessarily federalizes the criminalization of conduct that states already have laws against, and many of them already have laws tailored to address AI-generated deepfakes,” Burlison said.

The Congressman, who represents southwest Missouri, asserts the new law is redundant and constitutionally problematic, and undermines state authority. “The bill attempts to safeguard free speech with a ‘reasonable person’ test, I remain concerned about its impact on First Amendment rights and the unchecked growth of federal power,” Burlison said in a statement.

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, the other ‘no’ vote, seemed to agree, describing the bill on social media as a “slippery slope.”.

The silence is notable for a congressman who typically jumps at chances to talk tech. Just last month, he held hearings on what he branded “America’s AI Moonshot” and argued for getting government out of Silicon Valley’s way.

Some tech advocacy groups share his apparent unease with the bill, which gives social media companies 48 hours to take down intimate photos and videos posted without consent. The Electronic Frontier Foundation warns the rules could accidentally sweep up legitimate content.

But after AI-generated fake nudes of Taylor Swift flooded social media early last year, Congress faced mounting pressure to act. The FBI says victims of these deepfakes sometimes die by suicide.

The bill cleared the House 409-2 and heads to President Trump’s desk. His wife celebrated on social media, tying it to her BE BEST campaign against cyberbullying.

–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice