Newark, N.J. – New Jersey has enacted a groundbreaking law aimed at combating the production and dissemination of so-called deepfakes—hyper-realistic fake videos, images, and audio created using artificial intelligence. The legislation, signed by Governor Phil Murphy on Wednesday, introduces severe civil and criminal penalties for individuals involved in creating and distributing such deceptive content without consent.
The decision to implement these legal measures was significantly propelled by an unsettling incident at a local high school where a student manipulated classmates’ photos onto explicit images using AI technology. This act catalyzed a legislative response, spearheaded by those directly affected.
At the heart of the advocacy for this law was 16-year-old Francesca Mani, who, along with 29 of her peers, was victimized in the deepfake incident that occurred two years ago at Westfield High. In response to the school only suspending the perpetrator for a single day, Mani launched an impassioned campaign for more robust protections against digital violations.
“This law stands up for every individual who has been trivialized, urging them to just move past incidents,” Francesca Mani shared after the bill’s passage. Her drive builds a broader case against such technology, which might be abused not only by peers but also by criminals on a larger scale, as outlined by her mother, Dorota Mani.
Under this new legislation, which Governor Murphy highlighted as a critical step to safeguard youth and community members, the unauthorized creation and sharing of deepfakes are now punishable offences in New Jersey. The penalties for such actions include up to five years of imprisonment and fines as steep as $30,000.
Governor Murphy cautioned, “With the ease of access to artificial intelligence, practically any individual could manipulate and weaponize data, victimizing children, teenagers, and indeed, any person at large.”
The legislation also targets the use of deepfakes in political arenas, preventing their use to deceive or manipulate voters, a progressively pertinent issue as digital tools become more sophisticated.
“Deepfakes pose a potent threat to public trust,” explained New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, emphasizing the overarching consequences of such technology.
Attorney General Matt Platkin underscored the significance of Francesca Mani’s case and others like hers, which have unfortunately spotlighted major gaps in both criminal and civil laws protecting residents from digital harm. He reiterated the intent of the new law to mend these shortcomings.
The law not only aims to set a precedent within New Jersey but also hopes to influence national legislation against the malicious use of AI for creating and propagating deepfakes.
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