Substitute Senate Bill No. 483 establishes the crime of digital defrauding, which is defined as the act of creating and disseminating a digitally forged likeness with the intent to cause financial injury to another person. The bill adds a new subdivision (19) to Section 53a-119 of the general statutes, effective October 1, 2026. A digitally forged likeness is characterized as any visual representation or audio recording that is not entirely captured by traditional means and is indistinguishable from the actual image or voice of an identifiable person, created without their consent. The bill also outlines that dissemination includes various forms of distribution, such as selling, publishing, or advertising.

Additionally, the bill provides an affirmative defense for defendants who can demonstrate that they took reasonable steps to inform viewers or listeners that the content was digitally forged. Importantly, the legislation clarifies that it does not impose liability on providers of interactive computer services, information services, or telecommunications services for content created or disseminated by others, as long as they were unaware of any violations of this new law.

Statutes affected:
Public Act No. 26-119: