Ted Lieu’s bipartisan bill imposes criminal penalties on non-consensual deepfakes and expands whistleblower protections for AI insiders, filling the federal gap amid White House pressure on states.
Representative Ted Lieu, co-chair of the bipartisan House Task Force on AI, introduced a bill targeting deepfake distribution with civil and criminal penalties while extending whistleblower protections to employees reporting AI misuse at frontier model developers. CNBC reported the proposal draws from task force recommendations, aiming for passage this term by avoiding divisive issues like federal preemption.
The measure hits platforms hosting deepfakes and individuals distributing them, building on state efforts like California’s SB 926 criminalizing non-consensual intimate images. Jones Walker noted AB 2655 and AB 2355 require labeling deceptive election content, but federal uniformity matters as deepfakes proliferate. Reality Defender highlighted the DEFIANCE Act’s $150k-$250k damages for victims, now advancing to House.
Whistleblower provisions shield those disclosing safety risks or misleading statements to California’s AG, with anti-retaliation safeguards. Baker Botts detailed SB 53’s $1 million penalties for non-reporting, setting precedent for federal expansion. Transparency Coalition emphasized protections for foundational model workers, addressing regulator blind spots.
The bill lands as the White House pressures GOP states to drop AI bills on deepfakes and...
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