State posture profileKansas

Kansas digital reality posture profile

Public-source posture estimateNot legal adviceState reviewed2026-07-07 · 7 July 2026

This page summarizes six tracked digital safety topics for Kansas, showing where public legislative coverage currently looks more proactive, more reactive, broader, or thinner. It is a structural posture signal based on public disclosures, not a political or legal grade.

Educational summary only

Not legal advice. Laws and enforcement change frequently. Verify current official statutes, regulations, and counsel where needed.

Overall state posture signal

Mixed posture with narrow tracked coverage.

Based on six tracked topics and public disclosures.

Low confidence6 tracked topics

Posture meter

Lean and breadth across six tracked topics. Not a quality or political score.

Mixed posture
ReactiveMixedProactive

Lean

Mixed posture

Breadth

Narrow tracked coverage

State/topic detailKansas

Kansas Synthetic Explicit Content law summary

Specific rule in effect.

Based on direct statute tracking.

Kansas makes it a crime to create or share sexually explicit images that have been generated or altered by artificial intelligence or other digital means — covering both fabricated child sexual abuse material and deepfakes of real, identifiable adults. Senate Bill 186, approved by Governor Kelly on April 24, 2025 (2025 Session Laws of Kansas, Ch. 120), amended the state's sexual-exploitation-of-a-child, unlawful-transmission, and breach-of-privacy statutes to reach depictions that are "indistinguishable from a real child, morphed from a real child's image or generated without any actual child involvement," and images "created, altered or modified by artificial intelligence or any digital means" to falsely depict an identifiable person. The law carves out legitimate scientific, educational, governmental, or news purposes. Based on public records, this rule is in effect following its 2025 publication.

Educational summary only

Not legal advice. Laws and enforcement change frequently. Verify current official statutes, regulations, and counsel where needed.

Why this status

Based on direct statute tracking.

What this means

  • Enacted SB 186 (2025 Session Laws Ch. 120) explicitly reaches AI-generated/computer-created CSAM and digitally altered deepfakes of identifiable people, so a specific synthetic-media rule is in effect.

What to do next

  • Read the cited statute or bill text linked below to confirm the specifics for your state.

Citation-grade sources

Official sources

3
  • 2025 Session Laws of Kansas, Ch. 120 (SB 186) — Kansas Secretary of State

    Official text

    Citation: Chapter 120, SB 186 amends K.S.A. 21-5510 to reach synthetic depictions of a minor and 21-6101 breach of privacy for AI/digitally altered images of identifiable people; approved April 24, 2025.

    Observed: 2026-07-07
    Open source
  • Governor Laura Kelly newsroom — 'Governor Kelly Signs Bill Protecting Kansans'

    Official text

    Citation: Governor's newsroom announces Kelly signed SB 186 criminalizing possession/creation/distribution of AI-generated CSAM and expanding breach of privacy to AI-altered sexual images (2025).

    Observed: 2026-07-07
    Open source
  • Kansas State Legislature — SB 186 measure page

    Official text

    Citation: SB 186 measure page shows 'Signed by Governor' and modifies sexual exploitation of a child, unlawful transmission, and breach of privacy for AI/morphed depictions; effective from publication in the statute book.

    Observed: 2026-07-07
    Open source

Provenance

Source basis

Official/public links curated

Confidence

High confidence

Review scope

Review centered on currently tracked state-level law

Last reviewed

2026-07-07 · 7 July 2026

References

  • 2025 Session Laws of Kansas, Ch. 120 (SB 186) — Kansas Secretary of State

  • Governor Laura Kelly newsroom — 'Governor Kelly Signs Bill Protecting Kansans'

  • Kansas State Legislature — SB 186 measure page

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