(FamilyConservationPAC.com) – A bill from the California legislature could prevent the distribution of memes during election season because they could be deceptive or damage a political candidate’s reputation.
The bill, known as the Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024, is awaiting the signature of Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom.
The governor has until the end of September 2024 to sign the bill into law.
As per Reclaim the Net, social media platforms must label content as “inauthentic, fake, or false ” during specified periods 120 days before and 60 days after an election.
The new bill would require any “large online platform” to block content considered deceptive before and after an election.
Simply put, memes or images containing AI-generated material about a candidate or anything damaging the candidate’s reputation could be taken down in California.
Political ad campaigns would have to disclose if their ads contained content generated by artificial intelligence.
Platforms would also be required under the law to develop reporting procedures for California residents so that they can flag any content that “has not been blocked or labeled in compliance with the act.”
Candidates, officials, elections officials, the attorney general, and district or city attorneys could sue the websites if platforms do not comply.
The bill stated it would “exempt content that is satire or parody,” but it is still unclear whose discretion it is at. Despite this caveat, Governor Newsom has already supported legislation prohibiting parody.
Should local, state, or federal government have the power to censor online speech?
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