STATEHOUSE (Jan. 26, 2024) – The Indiana House of Representatives advanced State Rep. Julie Olthoff's (R-Crown Point) legislation to protect voters from deepfake political advertisements, which she says is growing in popularity online and undermining election integrity.
Currently, anyone can use free, AI-generator websites and apps to digitally alter an individual's image, audio and video to create lifelike content known as deepfakes. Olthoff said this fabricated content is dangerous when used during elections because voters can be misled and misinformed about a candidate because people can't tell fiction from reality. The Crown Point lawmaker said she wants to place guardrails on using altered or AI-generated content when it comes to Indiana's election candidates.
"With AI on the rise, particularly as we head into the 2024 elections, we must adapt our laws to protect Hoosiers from fabricated or altered political ads, which can easily spread misinformation and mistrust," Olthoff said. "That's why I've authored legislation to boost transparency by requiring disclaimers on AI-generated content that alters election candidates. Voters need to clearly recognize if content is altered."
Under Olthoff's House Bill 1133, any digitally altered or AI-generated content that includes a candidate's image, audio or video without the person's consent must include a disclaimer. If a label is not included, the candidate could bring a civil action against those responsible for paying for or sponsoring the fake content.
House Bill 1133 now heads to the Indiana Senate for consideration. To learn more and follow legislative proceedings, visit iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) represents House District 19,
which includes portions of Lake and Porter counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
