Social Media Firm X Challenges California's Anti-Deepfake Law

Social Media Firm X Challenges California's Anti-Deepfakes Legislation

The AB 2655, an anti-deepfake law in California, has recently come under legal scrutiny by X, the social media enterprise belonging to Elon Musk. As per Bloomberg's reporting, the company has instituted legal proceedings aimed at blocking this California law. AB 2655 binds large internet platforms to either label or eliminate artificial intelligence-powered deepfakes, particularly those pertaining to electoral matters.

Assertion of Unintended Political Censorship

X maintains that the AB 2655 law, which is alternatively recognized as the “Defending Democracy from Deepfake Deception Act of 2024,” could inadvertently culminate in extensive suppression of political dialogue. The company has formally voiced its concerns in a late-night complaint lodged in the Sacramento federal court on Thursday. It emphasizes the historical precedence of robust First Amendment protections applicable to critical commentary relating to public office contenders and government officials. It further underscores the traditionally high tolerance levels for potentially incorrect statements within such contexts.

The Burden of Compliance and Recent Legal Developments

Apart from mandatory deepfake labelling or removal, AB 2655 further imposes several regulations that X perceives as burdensome. These include the creation of channels for reporting politically motivated deepfakes and a system for politicians and elected representatives to pursue injunctions if they perceive that a platform is not working in alignment with the act.

This lawsuit is a recent development in the contentious debate about online transparency and political deepfakes, coming just weeks after another relevant California law that sought the prohibition of dishonest online campaign adverts was briefly impeded by a federal judge.