Justice Department reporter Alanna Durkin Richer uncovered a troubling new trend that federal prosecutors are grappling with the use of artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images and videos of children. Recognizing the urgency of the issue, she began an in-depth look into how states across the U.S. are struggling to address this growing threat, finding that existing laws have yet to catch up. Following the passage of a new law in California, Durkin Richer identified victims from multiple states and secured a comprehensive interview with the Justice Department official spearheading prosecutions in this area. In a poignant display of empathetic reporting, she also persuaded a former Disney television actor, one of the victims, to share her story with The AP. This victim had fought to change California law after a man used her Instagram photo to create deepfake sexually explicit images. Video journalist Eugene Garcia traveled to Ventura County, California, to capture her experience on camera, with U.S. Reporting Teams Chief Video journalist Noreen Nasir producing a compelling video package that sheds light on this critical issue.
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