Bill > SB1624

This bill, known as the "Transparency for Deepfakes in Political Advertising Act," requires that political advertisements containing "deepfakes" – which are audio or video creations that falsely impersonate or depict a candidate engaging in speech or actions they did not actually perform – must include a clear disclaimer. Specifically, audio deepfakes must state "This communication contains fake content impersonating speech that did not occur" at the beginning and end, while video deepfakes must display "This communication contains fake content depicting actions that did not occur" or "This communication contains fake content depicting actions and speech that did not occur" in large letters for the duration of the video, depending on whether it includes only video or both audio and video. These requirements apply only if the communication is distributed within 120 days of an election in which the candidate appears on the ballot, unless the candidate is an incumbent. The bill also exempts certain entities like internet service providers, search engines, and broadcasting stations from liability if they are not responsible for creating the deepfake, and it allows candidates who are the subject of such deepfakes to seek damages and other legal remedies. A violation of these disclaimer requirements is considered a Class C misdemeanor, a minor criminal offense.