(NewsNation) — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a new law that defines deepfakes as digital forgeries and establishes criminal penalties for nonconsensual digital impersonation.
On July 7, Shapiro signed SB 649, making nonconsensual digital impersonation a first-degree misdemeanor. Anyone doing so with fraudulent intent will now be subject to a third-degree felony.
The bill passed with unanimous bipartisan support in the State Senate and overwhelming support in the House.
“By signing this bill into law, we’re sending a clear message that if you use AI to defraud or exploit Pennsylvanians, you will be held accountable,” said Gov. Shapiro.
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The bill expands on SB 1213, legislation passed last October to ban deepfake pornography in the state. That law resulted in Pennsylvania’s first AI-related sexual abuse charges.
Pennsylvania joins a national trend of AI deepfake regulation, with over 38 pieces of legislation being introduced in 18 states this year. Additionally, 80 laws were passed in 2024 to push back on deepfakes, and another 15 were enacted in 2023.
