California Governor Gavin Newsom signs election misinformation bill, banning deepfakes

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As a seasoned observer of the tech and political landscapes, I find myself intrigued by the irony unfolding in California. Elon Musk, a man who once warned about the dangers of unregulated AI, has seemingly catalyzed its regulation through his recent foray into right-wing politics and controversial behavior on social media platforms like Twitter (X). His actions have led to Governor Gavin Newsom signing a bill banning the distribution of election deepfakes, a measure that Musk once might have endorsed.

2017 saw Elon Musk voicing concerns about the potential dangers of unregulated AI, a stance he reiterated in 2023 despite his involvement in xAI, his own AI platform. However, his recent shift towards right-wing politics has led to a paradoxical situation: the regulation of AI he once advocated for, now becoming a reality, particularly in California. This change was prompted by Governor Gavin Newsom signing a bill that prohibits the distribution of election or political ads and communications containing deceptive content, following instances where AI-generated ads, like those shared by Elon Musk and right-wing influencers on the X (formerly Twitter) platform, misrepresented Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. As a gamer, I can’t help but reflect on the unpredictable consequences of technology and politics intertwining.

This week, Governor Newsom enacted a bill aimed at prohibiting the use of deepfakes in elections, according to Politico. The law is set to be implemented prior to the November 2024 election and has sparked conversations about the role of AI in generating deceptive deepfake imagery for disseminating misinformation. To address this concern, the bill prohibits the dissemination of manipulated political deepfake content. The controversy surrounding such content intensified when Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, shared an artificially altered video featuring Harris, a political figure whom he has publicly opposed and supports Trump’s presidency this year.

In California, I’ve recently enacted legislation prohibiting the intentional dissemination of misleading ads and election-related materials containing substantially false content, such as deepfakes.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 17, 2024

Elon Musk, as one could anticipate given his recent social media posts, reacted by sharing the same video again. He commented, “The governor of California has just outlawed this parody video, which is unconstitutional according to the U.S. Constitution.” Adding, “It would be unfortunate if it became widely popular.

Elon Musk and his followers argue that the video is a parody, allowing for sharing on social media and other platforms. Yet, it’s worth noting that some of Elon’s political humor hasn’t always landed well in the past. A recent tweet of his, which joked about the lack of attempts to assassinate Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, was later removed. He stated that this joke had been well-received within a private circle, but didn’t translate as humorously in public. Additionally, Musk’s xAI company has faced criticism for emitting pollutants in Memphis, Tennessee due to the unauthorized gas turbines they use to power their AI services.

2023 saw Elon Musk urging regulatory control over AI, labeling it as a potentially harmful technology. It appears his request has been granted, however, the question remains if Newsom’s bill will gather more backing in addressing the misuse of AI. Keep an eye on this developing story for future updates.

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2024-09-18 22:57