2026-10-03 / Signal #7
A court just paused America’s first ban on AI nudification
“Minnesota banned the undress button. An appeals court just turned it back on for now.”
The Story
Minnesota’s first-in-the-nation law, in effect since August 1, barred products from letting users “nudify” identifiable people, with penalties up to $500,000. A district judge had kept it in force. On Friday the 8th Circuit granted xAI an injunction and froze the ban while the First Amendment case proceeds. Minnesota says the law targeted AI sexual images, including CSAM; xAI says Grok Imagine already blocks this and that the statute is unconstitutional.
Why It Matters
The first state to treat “undress this person” as a product crime just lost the freeze. Law, identity, and platform power — a courtroom story, not a porn explainer.
Evidence
Reuters (Oct 2); 8th U.S. Circuit; xAI v. Ellison
Sources
Daily scan: 2026-10-03