Washington digital reality posture profile
This page summarizes six tracked digital safety topics for Washington, 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
Reactive-leaning posture with narrow tracked coverage.
Based on six tracked topics and public disclosures.
Posture meter
Lean and breadth across six tracked topics. Not a quality or political score.
Lean
Reactive-leaning
Breadth
Narrow tracked coverage
Washington Synthetic Explicit Content law summary
Based on direct statute tracking.
Washington makes it a crime to share a sexually explicit "deepfake" of a real, identifiable person who did not consent — the statute reaches images "created or altered by digitization," which it says expressly "includes... using artificial intelligence" (RCW 9A.86.030). The same 2024 act (Substitute House Bill 1999, Chapter 88, signed March 14, 2024 and effective June 6, 2024) also folded AI- and computer-generated "fabricated depictions" of an identifiable minor into the state's child-sexual-exploitation statutes (RCW 9.68A.011). A first disclosure offense is a gross misdemeanor, rising to a class C felony on a repeat conviction, and victims may also bring a civil suit. Based on public records, Washington lawmakers have continued to broaden these definitions, advancing 2025 measures aimed at fabricated depictions of minors even when the child is not identifiable.
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
- Chapter 88, Laws of 2024 enacted a dedicated crime for disclosing AI/digitized fabricated intimate images (RCW 9A.86.030) and added AI/computer-generated fabricated depictions of minors to the CSAM statutes (RCW 9.68A.011), both in effect since June 6, 2024.
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
3RCW 9.68A.011 — Sexual exploitation of children, definitions (fabricated depiction)
Official textCitation: Defines 'fabricated depiction of an identifiable minor' created/altered by digitization, expressly including artificial intelligence and computer-generated images; amended 2024 c 88 s 1.
Observed: 2026-07-07Open sourceRCW 9A.86.030 — Disclosing fabricated intimate images
Official textCitation: Codified crime of 'disclosing fabricated intimate images'; 'digitization' defined to include creation/alteration 'by using artificial intelligence'; session law cite [2024 c 88 s 7].
Observed: 2026-07-07Open sourceWA Substitute House Bill 1999 (2023-24) — bill history / signing
Official textCitation: SHB 1999 'Concerning fabricated intimate or sexually explicit images': Governor signed March 14, 2024; Chapter 88, 2024 Laws; effective date 6/6/2024.
Observed: 2026-07-07Open 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
RCW 9.68A.011 — Sexual exploitation of children, definitions (fabricated depiction)
RCW 9A.86.030 — Disclosing fabricated intimate images
WA Substitute House Bill 1999 (2023-24) — bill history / signing
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