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TechCrunch
Judge denies xAI’s request to block Minnesota ban on ‘nudify’ apps
A U.S. District Judge has denied xAI's request for a temporary restraining order against Minnesota's ban on apps that allow users to 'nudify' images, allowing the law to take effect on August 1, 2026. The judge pointed out that xAI's lawsuit was filed almost three months after the law was enacted, implying that there was no immediate harm. xAI argues that the ban is the first of its kind in the country and is overly broad, suggesting there are less restrictive alternatives available. The case follows incidents involving non-consensual image manipulation on social media platforms like X, where xAI's Grok chatbot contributed to the flooding of such content.
MonitorConfidence: HighImmediate horizon
Published 1 Aug 2026, 20:40 UTC1 min read
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Summary
TL;DR
- Minnesota's 'nudify' app ban can proceed as the lawsuit continues.
- xAI's request for a temporary restraining order was denied.
- The law will take effect on August 1, 2026.
- xAI argues the ban is overly broad and lacks less restrictive alternatives.
- Incidents of non-consensual image manipulation prompted the law.
Interesting facts
- This is the first law of its kind in the United States.
- Users exploited xAI's Grok chatbot to flood social media with inappropriate images.
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