Legislation is finally starting to catch up to AI, with a new law allowing victims of non-consensual deepfake pornography to sue those responsible passing the US senate in unanimous fashion.
Deepfake technology has gotten a lot better since the boom in AI over the last few years. While some instances are fun and harmless, others have proven to be quite a problem, imitating celebrities to scam users or putting them in problematic situations.
However, this new law could be a stepping stone to more AI and deepfake regulation, and all we can say is: it’s about time.
What Is the DEFIANCE Act?
The Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits (DEFIANCE) Act is a piece of legislature in the US currently on the way to becoming a law. It states that, in the event of non-consensual deepfake pornography, the victim is able to sue the party responsible.
“Victims of nonconsensual pornographic deepfakes have waited too long for federal legislation to hold perpetrators accountable. As deepfakes become easier to access and create — 96% of deepfake videos circulating online are nonconsensual pornography — Congress needs to act to show victims that they won’t be left behind.” – Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a statement
The bill passed the US Senate unanimously, an impressive feat considering the state of politics in the US as of late. It will head to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to have similar support.
Other AI Regulations on the Way
The DEFIANCE Act may be one of the first AI-focused regulations to officially become law, but it definitely won’t be the only one. In fact, there are more than 100 bills across all 50 states that are aimed at providing common sense AI regulations and could be made law soon.
For example, one new law, dubbed the COPIED Act, would make it illegal for people to remove watermarks placed on AI-generated content, further regulating deepfake technology to prevent these kinds of issues.
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Other bills are focused on a wide range of AI issues, from AI models using pictures of children to train models to employing algorithms to prevent certain types of people from moving into low-income housing.
How to Avoid Deepfake Scams
The DEFIANCE Act should give victims of non-consensual deepfake pornography recourse in getting justice. However, there are other deepfake scams out there that you might want to look out for.
Celebrity deepfakes, for example, have become a popular trend, using the likeness of famous people like Taylor Swift to sell fake products in service of stealing money and personal information.
Subsequently, you’ll want to be on the look out for deepfakes to keep yourself from getting scammed. The best way to do so is always be diligent before inputting financial information. A quick Google search can save you thousands of dollars and hours of time trying to reclaim your identity.
The safest bet when it comes to deepfake scams? If it’s too good to be true, it probably is!
