New Jersey outlaws creating, sharing deceptive AI-created media

It is now illegal to make or share deceptive media with artificial intelligence in the Garden State.

Sharing of deceptive deepfakes is now a crime after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation.

If convicted, a person can be sentenced to up to five years behind bars and a $30,000 fine. There is also a civil penalty as part of the legislation, which would allow a victim to sue the deepfake’s creator.

According to the legislation, a deepfake is a video recording, audio recording or image that depicts someone doing something they did not do.

New Jersey is the latest state to have legislation that targets AI-generated media. About 20 other states have similar laws either enacted or proposed.

The legislation was inspired by the case of high school student Francesca Mani, who was a victim of a deepfake video two years ago.

A fellow student created a video using Mani’s face and those of 29 others, pasted on a pornography video.

The student who created the deepfake was given a one-day suspension.

Mani was at the legislation’s signing and said, “This law is for every woman and teen dismissed with nothing happening or just move on.”

“Just about any bad actor can use artificial intelligence at any time to produce hyperrealistic images and videos that could exploit children, teenagers and frankly anyone,” Murphy said.