HARRISBURG – The Senate today acted to stem the rise of “deepfakes” and other forms of digital impersonation by approving legislation that would treat them as forgeries punishable by law, said sponsors Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) and Sen. John Kane (D-9).
Technology such as artificial intelligence allows individuals to create convincing images, audio and video of others, often without consent, that are nearly indistinguishable from reality. These digital forgeries have been used to commit financial scams, injure personal reputations and disrupt the political process. The scams target teenagers, senior citizens, small businesses and other victims.
“The problem is growing. We’ve seen criminals impersonating loved ones to swindle the elderly; fabricated political videos and calls intending to fraudulently mislead and misinform voters; and malicious digital content targeting celebrities and private citizens alike,” Pennycuick said. “We must act, and this legislation does so in a responsible, effective manner.”
“Today marks a crucial step forward in protecting Pennsylvanians from the growing threats of artificial intelligence abuse,” said Senator Kane. “With fraud losses already in the hundreds of millions and growing at an alarming rate, this legislation gives law enforcement the tools they need to hold criminals accountable for using AI to deceive and defraud our citizens. This is about safeguarding all Pennsylvanians from increasingly sophisticated digital threats.”
Senate Bill 649 amends the current forgery provisions in state law to include “forged digital likeness.” Under the new provision, if someone creates a digital representation of a real person without their consent and distributes it as genuine, with the intent to defraud or injure, they would be subject to penalties.
The lawmakers noted the measure protects First Amendment rights and preserves valid expressions of parody, satire and other forms of free speech. The bill targets harmful impersonations while safeguarding legitimate artistic, journalistic and expressive works.
Senate Bill 649 will be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Lidia Di Fiore 215-541-2388