Attorney General Alan Wilson demands payment platforms stop enabling predators profiting from AI ‘DeepFake’ Porn

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today put Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Google, and Apple on notice: Stop helping predators profit from AI-generated pornography and the exploitation of women and children, or face potential legal consequences.

In a letter sent to the companies last week, Attorney General Wilson and a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general demanded answers about how these corporations are allowing their platforms to be weaponized to fund “deepfake” pornography, computer-generated sexual images created without consent. The letter cites reports that nearly all online deepfakes are pornographic, overwhelmingly targeting women and young girls, and that the sellers of these “deepfakes” are openly advertising payment via the world’s largest financial platforms, while the payment companies turn a blind eye.

“Every time Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, or Apple Pay approves one of these transactions, they’re not just moving money, they’re fueling abuse,” Attorney General Wilson said. “These companies know exactly what’s happening, yet they refuse to police this outrageous conduct. Let me be clear: since they only seem to act when their profits or legal liability are threatened, if Big Tech and Big Finance won’t do it voluntarily, we’ll force their hand. I am prepared to hit them where it hurts, because protecting women and children is not optional, and South Carolina will not tolerate complicity in their exploitation.”

The coalition is requiring these companies to disclose what they’re currently doing to block payments for deepfake pornography, and to commit to aggressive new safeguards. Wilson emphasized that cutting off the money pipeline is one of the most effective ways to crush the exploitation industry.

This demand follows Wilson’s earlier move this week, with 44 state attorneys general pressing Meta to shut down AI-driven predatory interactions with children on Instagram. Wilson has consistently led the charge to hold Silicon Valley accountable for turning a blind eye to abuse.

“Big Tech and Big Finance love to lecture the rest of us about responsibility, but when it comes to protecting kids and women, they look the other way,” Wilson said. “Enough is enough. If these companies won’t do the right thing on their own, the states will force them to. We’re not asking, we’re demanding action.”

You can read the full letter here.