As AI political deepfakes go viral, lawmakers struggle to keep up – 2 states’ laws show limits of what they can do

Most states require warnings on AI-generated political ads, but studies show these disclosures do little to alter people’s willingness to share the content. Most states have legislated election deepfakes by requiring a warning 28 states require disclosures on the media

By: Stefani Langehennig, University of Denver, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 30, 2026

Words: 1,416

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 4 days ago

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By Stefani Langehennig, University of Denver

Imagine watching a political campaign video in which a candidate admits to taking a bribe. You recognize the face and voice. But the confession is entirely fabricated, thanks to artificial intelligence.

Now imagine that your state has passed a law against these AI-generated election deepfakes. Would that mean the video has to be removed from the airwaves?

In its June 2026 report, the National Conference of State Legislatures

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