Deepfake Laws News
The latest legal news and analysis on deepfake laws.
18 articles

Deepfake Evidence Rules Explained: Draft 901(c) and Rule 707
No federal rule governs deepfake evidence. Draft Rule 901(c) is unapproved and Rule 707 was withdrawn. What authentication law actually requires right now.

California SB 1111 Adds AI Digital Replicas to Likeness Law
California SB 1111, Chapter 862, signed September 30, 2026, adds AI digital replicas to Civil Code 3344 and false personation law, effective January 1, 2027.

Eighth Circuit Grants xAI an Injunction Pending Appeal in the Minnesota Nudification Case
Eighth Circuit granted xAI an injunction pending appeal on October 2, 2026 in a one-sentence order with no reasons. Minnesota's nudification law is undecided.

A Federal Judge Calls AI Deepfake Defamation Uncharted Territory
A federal court in Tennessee let a defamation claim over AI-generated videos survive dismissal on September 16, 2026, finding no caselaw on whether a deepfake can defame.

Federal Judge Enjoins Montana Election Deepfake Law, But Only for Two Plaintiffs
A federal judge preliminarily blocked Montana's election deepfake law, but only for the two plaintiffs who sued. The law remains enforceable statewide.

California AB 686: Deepfake Election Law Extended to 2031
Gov. Newsom signed AB 686 on Sept. 19, 2026, extending California's deepfake candidate media law (Elections Code 20010) from a 2027 sunset to January 2031.

California SB 1276 Extends Reporting Law to AI Abuse Images
California SB 1276, signed Sept. 10, 2026, adds AI-generated abuse images to the mandated-reporting law and expands Penal Code 311.3, effective Jan. 1, 2027.

Seventh Circuit Upholds Dismissal of AI CSAM Possession Charge
The Seventh Circuit held 18 U.S.C. 1466A(b)(1) unconstitutional as applied to in-home possession of AI-generated CSAM. What the August 25, 2026 ruling does.

Court Denies xAI Injunction Against Minnesota Nudification Law
A Minnesota judge denied xAI a preliminary injunction against the state nudification law on September 4, 2026 without deciding the First Amendment question.

Eighth Circuit Holds Minnesota's Election Speech Injunction Law a Prior Restraint
The 8th Circuit ruled Minn. Stat. 211B.075's civil injunction against 'materially false' election speech is an unconstitutional prior restraint (Aug. 20, 2026).

Class Action Adds Stability AI as a Defendant Over Alleged AI-Generated CSAM
An amended complaint filed July 7, 2026 adds Stability AI to the xAI/Grok CSAM class action, and a court granted the plaintiffs pseudonymous status on July 30. All allegations are unproven.

xAI Sues Minnesota Attorney General Over First-in-Nation AI "Nudification" Law
xAI filed a First Amendment lawsuit July 27, 2026 against Minnesota AG Keith Ellison over HF 1606's ban on AI nudification tools. A TRO was denied July 31; the injunction motion is undecided.

xAI Sues Grok User Over Alleged AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material
xAI sued a Grok user in Texas federal court on July 14, 2026 over alleged AI deepfakes and CSAM. What the TOS-breach theory means for AI liability.

Hawaii Deepfake Law: Act 247 Lets Victims Sue (2026)
Hawaii's Act 247 (HB 2137), signed July 14, 2026, creates a civil right to sue over AI deepfakes, with damages up to $25,000 per item plus injunctions.

Wyoming's HB 102 Makes AI Deepfake Sexual Abuse and AI-Generated Child Exploitation a Felony, Effective July 1, 2026
Wyoming's HB 102 took effect July 1, 2026, creating three new felonies for AI deepfake sexual imagery, AI-generated child abuse material, and self-harm AI systems.

Illinois Schools Must Now Treat AI Deepfakes of Students as Cyberbullying
Illinois HB 3851 took effect July 1, 2026, amending 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7 so unauthorized AI 'digital replicas' of students count as cyberbullying.

Queens Council Candidate Charged With Forgery Over AI-Faked Endorsements
Queens DA charged ex-NYC Council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi with forgery over AI-faked endorsements and a fake NY Post story. Charges only; he is presumed innocent.

NO FAKES Act Advances Out of Senate Committee: Federal AI Voice and Likeness Right Explained (2026)
The NO FAKES Act (S.4591) advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 18, 2026. It is not yet law. Here is what the federal AI voice and likeness bill would do.