CA SB1216: Secretary of Government Operations: deepfakes.

In one paragraph

California's SB 1216 added Government Code § 11547.5. It directed the Secretary of Government Operations to evaluate, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the impact and risks of deepfakes and digital content forgery for government, California businesses and residents, including privacy and effects on voters, and to develop a coordinated plan on standards and tools for digital content provenance. A report to the Legislature with the plan was due October 1, 2024. The section was repealed by its own terms on January 1, 2025, so it is no longer in effect. Signed September 30, 2022 (Chapter 885); effective January 1, 2023.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

No longer in effect (repealed January 1, 2025). It never put duties on businesses; it directed a state evaluation of deepfakes and a plan on digital content provenance, with a report due October 1, 2024.

Key provisions

1. 1Deepfake: audio or visual content generated or manipulated by AI that would falsely appear authentic or truthful and depicts people appearing to say or do things they did not say or do without their consent; the section also defined digital content forgery and digital content provenance (§ 11547.5(a))
2. 2Upon appropriation, the Secretary was to evaluate the impact of deepfakes on state government, California businesses and residents; the risks, including privacy risks; privacy impacts of provenance-verification technology; effects on civic engagement, including voters; legal implications; and best practices, including whether a provenance standard could help
3. 3The Secretary was to develop a coordinated plan to investigate standards and technologies for state departments to determine digital content provenance, help internet companies, journalists, watchdogs and the public identify forgeries, and develop or identify ways for creators to cryptographically certify authentic media and let the public validate it without materially compromising privacy or civil liberties
4. 4Report to the Legislature by October 1, 2024 on the potential uses and risks of deepfake technology to state government and California businesses, including the plan and recommended changes to the definitions
5. 5The section remained in effect only until January 1, 2025, when it was repealed; AB 2885 (Chapter 843, Statutes of 2024) amended it without changing that date
6. 6Signed September 30, 2022 (Chapter 885, Statutes of 2022); effective January 1, 2023

Latest legislative action

Sep 30, 2022. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 885, Statutes of 2022.

Sponsors

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