Bill > HB4557

This bill, titled the Digital Forgeries in Politics Act, establishes a legal recourse for Illinois residents who are candidates for office and are depicted in a "digital forgery," which is defined as manipulated audio or visual material that falsely portrays an individual. The act allows such candidates to sue anyone who knowingly distributes or agrees to distribute a digital forgery if it occurs within 90 days of a regular election (meaning a general or primary election) and is likely to harm their reputation or chances of winning. However, this right to sue does not apply if the digital forgery includes a clear and conspicuous disclaimer stating that the material has been technically manipulated and does not depict actual events, with specific guidelines provided for what constitutes a clear disclaimer for videos, audio, and images. If a candidate wins a lawsuit under this act, a court can order the removal of the digital forgery and award damages, which could include actual financial losses, statutory damages up to $10,000 per violation, punitive damages, and legal costs.

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https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?DocNum=4557&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104