SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California now has some of the strictest laws on election deepfakes. The state could be among the first to test out the new regulations ahead of the 2024 election. The law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom takes effect immediately, seeking to prevent deepfakes surrounding the 2024 election. It also allows the courts to stop the distribution of such materials and impose civil penalties. The law exempts parody and satire. It is already drawing fierce criticism from free speech advocates. Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, called the new California law unconstitutional and an infringement on the First Amendment.
