Golden State Today

On Wednesday, the California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED), a project of California Common Cause, unveiled its 2024 legislative package. The initiative is supported by key legislators who are focused on protecting California's democracy from disinformation fueled by generative AI and deepfakes.

"AI and disinformation are an existential threat to our democracy, and we’ve reached a point of no return. Now is the time to act," stated Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause. He emphasized that CITED and their legislative partners have developed an agenda that addresses these issues while upholding free speech and respecting technological innovation.

The increasing prevalence of AI-generated deepfakes has exacerbated disinformation in politics since 2020. Deepfakes have already impacted elections in several countries including Argentina, Slovakia, Taiwan, Bangladesh, and the United States. Despite this growing issue, many technology platforms are reducing investments in trust and safety teams.

CITED's efforts are informed by research from experts across various fields such as tech, law, public policy, civil rights, civic engagement, and academia. Their approach is independent of industry influence and partisanship.

Senator Steve Padilla highlighted concerns about foreign adversaries using new technology to misinform voters during election cycles: "Bad actors and foreign bots now have the ability to create fake videos and images... We need to ensure our content platforms protect against malicious interference."

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin remarked on the historical presence of bad actors in elections but noted how generative AI has made misinformation more sophisticated: "Getting the right information to voters is crucial... it becomes very difficult when these deepfakes are spread online."

Assemblymember Marc Berman introduced AB 2655 aimed at restricting election-related deceptive deepfakes: "Deepfakes are a powerful tool... they have the potential to wreak havoc on our democracy."

The proposed legislative package reflects CITED’s commitment to addressing digital threats while safeguarding democratic processes.