IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

Missouri May Ban Fake Videos Aimed at Elections

Fake videos designed to persuade Missouri voters would be banned within 90 days of an election under legislation that won broad support in the state’s Legislature Wednesday.

elections 7-27-16
(TNS) — Fake videos designed to persuade Missouri voters would be banned within 90 days of an election under legislation that won broad support in the House Wednesday.

The measure, approved on a 133-5 vote, attempts to rein in the use of deepfake videos unless the content is labeled as being generated by artificial intelligence.

Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, who sponsored the measure, told lawmakers he wants to ensure the prohibitions are in state statutes before voters go to the polls in November.

But, Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore, a south St. Louis County Democrat, said the proposed law needs more teeth, including extending the timeframe beyond 90 days.

Nonetheless, she was among those voting "yes."

"I want to make sure we have something on the books," Walsh Moore said.

Deepfakes involve the use of artificial intelligence to create manipulated photos or videos by altering someone's face or body.

In addition to requiring labels on AI-generated content, the proposed law would not apply if a broadcaster acknowledges that there may be questions about the authenticity of the images.

Voter rights groups have come out in support of the plan, which now heads to the Senate for further debate.

The legislation comes as Facebook and Instagram announced last month that they are working with industry partners on technical standards that will make it easier to identify images and eventually video and audio generated by artificial intelligence tools.

A push for labeling of AI-generated content was also part of an executive order that President Joe Biden signed in October.

The legislation also contains a provision aimed at banning the use of spoofed or invalid caller ID numbers, which sometimes are used to prey on elderly people.

Last year, attorneys general across the U.S. joined in a lawsuit against a telecommunications company accused of making more than 7.5 billion robocalls to people on the national Do Not Call Registry.

The lawsuit stems from a task force formed in 2022 to investigate and take legal action against telecommunications companies routing volumes of robocall traffic.

The legislation is House Bill 2628.

© 2024 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.