Missouri Deepfake Laws: AI Images, Voice Cloning & Penalties (2026)

Missouri has no enacted deepfake-specific law for adults as of mid-2026. Repeated legislative efforts, including the 2024 "Taylor Swift Act" (HB 2573) and the 2026 House-passed HB 1887, failed to clear both chambers and reach the governor's desk. AI-generated CSAM covering minors is prohibited under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 573.010. For adult victims, the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act (signed May 2025) now provides the primary remedy, requiring platforms to remove nonconsensual intimate deepfakes within 48 hours.

Is It Illegal to Make a Deepfake of Someone in Missouri?

It depends on what the deepfake depicts and who is in it. Missouri does not have a statute that expressly prohibits creating or distributing deepfake sexual images of adults. Legislators have tried repeatedly: HB 2573 in 2024, tagged the "Taylor Swift Act" after non-consensual deepfakes of the artist went viral, proposed both criminal penalties and civil remedies but never advanced past committee. In 2026, HB 1887 passed the Missouri House 145-3 in April before stalling in the Senate without a floor vote.

That gap matters in practice. A person who uses AI to fabricate a sexually explicit image of a Missouri adult and posts it online has not committed a state crime specifically targeting that conduct, at least under current law. The victim's options at the state level are limited: Missouri's § 573.110 (revenge porn) requires that the perpetrator "obtained" the image, language that points to real photographs rather than AI-generated fabrications. Missouri's § 565.252 (invasion of privacy) similarly requires unauthorized capture of an authentic image.

The three buckets Missouri law addresses, partially or not at all:

• Sexual and intimate deepfakes of adults: Not covered by any state deepfake statute. Federal TAKE IT DOWN Act applies.
• AI-generated child sexual abuse material: Covered under § 573.010 via language reaching computer-generated images indistinguishable from a real minor.
• Election and political deepfakes: Not covered. A 2024 bill targeting political deepfakes also did not pass.
• Voice cloning and digital likeness: No statutory right of publicity; common law only.

Sexual and Intimate Deepfakes

Missouri adults are not protected by an explicit state deepfake-NCII statute. The federal TAKE IT DOWN Act now provides the most direct remedy. Signed on May 19, 2025, as Public Law 119-12, it makes it a federal crime to knowingly publish nonconsensual intimate visual depictions of any person, expressly including AI-generated "digital forgeries." Penalties reach two years in prison, or three years if the victim is a minor.

On the civil side, the proposed DEFIANCE Act (S.1837, 119th Congress) would create a federal civil cause of action for sexual deepfake victims, with liquidated damages of $150,000, or $250,000 if the conduct involved actual or attempted sexual assault, stalking, or harassment. The Senate passed it by unanimous consent on January 13, 2026, but it is still pending in the House as of June 2026 and is not yet law.

For minors, Missouri is on firmer ground. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 573.010(4)(b) defines prohibited child pornography to include "a digital image, computer image, or computer-generated image that is, or is indistinguishable from, that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct." That language reaches AI-generated CSAM without requiring a separate deepfake statute. Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2256(8)(B)) provides parallel coverage. Creating, distributing, or possessing AI-generated CSAM is a serious felony under both state and federal law.

Missouri's § 573.110 does make it a Class D felony to disclose authentic intimate images with intent to harass. A victim can also sue civilly for a minimum of $10,000. But the statute requires the defendant to have "obtained" the image, a phrase that ties liability to real photographs rather than AI-generated fabrications. Until the legislature updates that language or passes a standalone deepfake bill, adult victims of AI-generated intimate images face a state-law gap.

Election and Political Deepfakes

Missouri has no enacted election deepfake law. A 2024 bill that would have required disclaimers on political deepfakes within 90 days of an election passed the House but never cleared the Senate. No comparable measure became law in 2026.

The absence of state law means Missouri candidates, officeholders, and political figures have no state-level remedy specific to deepfakes in political advertising. First Amendment concerns have complicated election deepfake laws nationally: a federal court struck down California's AB 2839 in its entirety and permanently enjoined it on First Amendment grounds in August 2025 (Kohls v. Bonta), illustrating why these laws are legally contested even where enacted.

Federal election law under 52 U.S.C. § 30120 requires disclaimers on political communications and can reach deceptive AI-generated ads through existing FEC authority, though enforcement is limited.

AI Voice Cloning and Digital Likeness

Missouri has no statutory right of publicity. Protection for voice cloning and unauthorized AI likeness use rests entirely on common law, specifically the common law tort of misappropriation of name or likeness, which Missouri courts recognize but which has narrower reach than a statutory framework.

Compare this to Tennessee, whose ELVIS Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-25-1101 et seq., effective July 1, 2024) expressly extends the right of publicity to AI simulations of a person's voice and is the national reference point for voice-clone legislation. Missouri has no equivalent. A musician, actor, or public figure whose voice is cloned by AI for commercial use without consent would need to sue in tort under common law, a more uncertain path than a statutory cause of action.

The proposed federal NO FAKES Act (S.1367, 119th Congress) would create a federal right of publicity covering AI digital replicas, including voice. As of June 2026, it has not passed either chamber and remains a proposal.

The FTC's Impersonation Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 461, effective April 1, 2024) does prohibit AI voice cloning used to deceptively impersonate government entities or businesses. The FCC's February 2024 ruling (FCC 24-17) makes AI-generated voices in robocalls "artificial" under the TCPA, so voice-clone robocalls without prior express consent are illegal federally. These rules protect against fraud and scam calls but do not give individuals a general right of action for commercial voice cloning.

This page covers deepfake and AI voice law specifically. For broader AI regulation in Missouri, including the attorney general's algorithmic choice rule and pending AI liability bills, see Missouri AI Laws and Regulation.

Federal Law That Applies in Missouri

Because Missouri's state-law coverage is thin, federal law carries more weight here than in states with comprehensive deepfake statutes.

TAKE IT DOWN Act (Public Law 119-12): The most significant. Enacted May 19, 2025, it is now a federal crime to knowingly publish nonconsensual intimate depictions, real or AI-generated. Platforms must remove flagged content within 48 hours of victim notice; the FTC enforces the removal obligation. This is Missouri victims' primary legal tool for adult intimate deepfakes.

Federal CSAM law (18 U.S.C. § 2256(8)(B)): AI-generated images "indistinguishable" from a real minor in sexually explicit conduct are federally prohibited under the PROTECT Act. This runs in parallel with Missouri's § 573.010 coverage.

FCC AI-robocall ruling (FCC 24-17): AI voice clones in robocalls to phones are "artificial" voices under the TCPA. Unsolicited AI-voice calls violate federal law regardless of state statute.

FTC Impersonation Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 461): Prohibits AI voice fraud used to impersonate government bodies or businesses.

DEFIANCE Act (S.1837) and NO FAKES Act (S.1367): Neither is law as of June 2026. The DEFIANCE Act, which would add a civil right of action for intimate deepfake victims, passed the Senate by unanimous consent on January 13, 2026, and now awaits a House vote. The NO FAKES Act, which would create a federal right of publicity for AI voice and likeness, remains in committee.

For more on how the DEFIANCE Act would affect victims, see our DEFIANCE Act coverage.

What Victims Can Do

Missouri victims of nonconsensual intimate deepfakes have fewer state-law tools than residents of the 40-plus states that have enacted deepfake NCII statutes. Here is what is available.

File a federal complaint: The TAKE IT DOWN Act is enforced by the FTC. Victims can report violations at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Because the law requires platforms to remove content within 48 hours of notice, filing a takedown notice with the platform is the fastest first step.

Use the platform's TAKE IT DOWN removal system: As of May 19, 2026 (one year after enactment), platforms covered by the law must have a functioning mechanism to accept and process victim takedown requests within 48 hours. If a platform fails to comply, that is itself an FTC enforcement matter.

Report to law enforcement: If the deepfake involves a minor, it is a serious felony under § 573.010 and federal CSAM statutes. Contact local law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) via CyberTipline.org.

Civil tort claims: Missouri recognizes the common law tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED). Deepfake intimate images distributed to harass a victim can support an IIED claim. The threshold is high (conduct must be extreme and outrageous), but the claim exists without a statutory deepfake law.

Invasion of privacy (§ 565.252): If an authentic underlying image was used (for example, an existing photo was manipulated), § 565.252 may apply if the original capture was unauthorized. The distribution prong makes it a Class E felony.

Attorney consultation: Given Missouri's thin statutory coverage, a plaintiff's attorney with experience in cyber-harassment or privacy torts is the best guide to viable claims in the current legal landscape.

Penalties at a Glance

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about Missouri and federal laws related to deepfakes and AI-generated images. It is not legal advice. Laws in this area are changing rapidly. If you are a victim or face legal questions, consult a licensed Missouri attorney.

More Missouri Laws

• Missouri AI Meeting Recording Laws
• Missouri Alimony Laws
• Missouri At-Will Employment Laws
• Missouri Car Accident Laws
• Missouri Car Seat Laws
• Missouri Child Custody Laws
• Missouri Child Support Laws
• Missouri Common Law Marriage Laws
• Missouri Data Privacy Laws
• Missouri Divorce Laws
• Missouri Dog Bite Laws
• Missouri Emancipation Laws
• Missouri Expungement Laws
• Missouri Hit and Run Laws
• Missouri Landlord-Tenant Laws
• Missouri Lemon Laws

For the full 50-state comparison, see Deepfake and AI Voice Cloning Laws by State.

Sources

The citations below identify the primary legal sources relied on for this page. Missouri statutes are available at revisor.mo.gov; federal bills and enacted laws at congress.gov.

For the intersection of Missouri's recording consent rules and surveillance technology, see Missouri Recording Laws. For Missouri's broader data and privacy legal landscape, see Missouri Data Privacy Laws.