Tennessee
Legislation
Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery
EnactedAdds voice to protected personal rights. Creates liability for AI tool providers. Class A misdemeanor. Civil right of action. First state law targeting AI voice cloning. Passed 93-0 (House), 30-0 (Senate).
Creates civil right of action for AI deepfake intimate imagery. Makes disclosure/threats to disclose a felony. Significant upgrade from 2016 misdemeanor.
Election Deepfakes
EnactedNewly enacted in 2026
Documented Incidents
xAI/Grok lawsuit, Tennessee
LegalMarch 16, 2026
Three Tennessee teenagers (and potential class members)
Three Tennessee teenagers filed a class action against xAI, alleging a perpetrator used a third-party app licensing the Grok Imagine API to create sexually explicit deepfake images and videos of them. The perpetrator was arrested in December 2025.
Outcome: Lawsuit filed. Perpetrator arrested.
NPRTennessee (class-action lawsuit vs xAI)
LegalMarch 2026
3 teenagers
Three teenagers filed lawsuit against Elon Musk's xAI, alleging Grok tools were used to morph their real photos into explicitly sexual images.
Outcome: Lawsuit filed March 2026
washingtonpost.comNewsChannel 5, Nashville
LegalOctober 2024
1 woman (Bree Smith); additionally, viewers were targeted by scams using her likeness
Unknown external actors created AI-generated deepfake images and videos placing meteorologist Bree Smith's face onto semi-nude and nude bodies, using them on hundreds of impersonator social media accounts to run sextortion scams. When she sought help, her employer allegedly dismissed her concerns, contributing to a hostile workplace.
Outcome: Smith resigned and filed a federal lawsuit alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. She became the primary public advocate for Tennessee's 'Preventing Deepfake Images Act'.
CBS NewsNashville (Bree Smith case)
OtherJanuary 2024
Numerous minors across Tennessee.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and local law enforcement agencies issued warnings about a surge in online sextortion targeting children and teenagers. Predators often use social media and gaming platforms to connect with minors, coerce them into sending explicit images, and then demand money to prevent public dissemination. This trend has led to severe emotional and psychological trauma for victims.
Outcome: Ongoing investigations by TBI and local police departments; public awareness campaigns launched.
cbsnews.com