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 and entities from distributing deepfakes that they know or should know are deceptive representations of candidates, election officials, or parties on the ballot. However, exceptions are made for media that includes a clear disclosure indicating that it has been manipulated or generated by digital technology.

Additionally, the bill outlines the legal recourse available to candidates or election officials depicted in deepfakes, allowing them to seek injunctive relief or damages against those responsible for the dissemination. It also specifies that certain entities, such as news organizations and individuals who unknowingly distribute deepfakes, are exempt from the prohibitions. The language of the bill replaces terms like "message" and "artificial intelligence" with "deepfake" and "synthetic media technology," respectively, to clarify the scope of the legislation. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage and is projected to have a minimal fiscal impact.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 664:14-c