This bill aims to prevent the dissemination of deepfake materials related to political candidates within 90 days of an election. It introduces new definitions for terms such as "synthetic media," "artificial intelligence," "generative AI," and "deepfake," while also adding the term "synthetic media technology" to encompass any digital technology used to produce synthetic media. The bill prohibits individuals, corporations, or entities from distributing deepfakes of candidates, election officials, or parties on the ballot, unless the media includes a clear disclosure indicating that it has been manipulated or generated by digital technology.

Additionally, the bill outlines exceptions to this prohibition, including protections for individuals who unknowingly distribute deepfakes and for media entities that report on deepfakes as part of bona fide news coverage, provided they acknowledge the authenticity concerns. It also allows candidates or election officials depicted in deepfakes to seek legal remedies, including injunctive relief and damages. The bill specifies that it does not apply to satire or parody that does not rely on synthetic media technology. The act will take effect 60 days after passage and is projected to have a minimal fiscal impact.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 664:14-c