US lawmakers debate AI deepfake rules as election threats rise
AI-generated deepfakes are increasingly used to spread misinformation about US politicians, raising alarms among legislators and the public. A recent poll by Rad Campaign and Women Who Tech found that 71% of respondents worry about AI deepfakes affecting elections, with concern for sexualization outstripping job-related fears by three to one.
Key points
- Poll shows 71% of Americans worry about AI deepfakes affecting elections.
- Senator John Kennedy's bill for an AI "kill switch" was blocked by Rand Paul.
- Tennessee passed the "Elvis Act" to protect digital likenesses; Georgia has not.
Senator Raphael Warnock highlighted the difficulty of distinguishing fact from fiction, warning that bad actors are using these tools to divide the public. In response, Senator John Kennedy proposed a bill requiring AI firms to install a "kill switch" for rogue AI, though Senator Rand Paul blocked it as premature. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called for urgent federal guardrails, noting that a previous attempt to preempt state AI regulations failed in the Senate.
State-level actions vary; Tennessee has enacted the "Elvis Act" to protect digital likenesses, while Georgia has not yet passed similar legislation despite debates in 2024 and 2025. Motley Broom, who was targeted by the fake image, emphasized the need for laws that balance First Amendment protections with consequences for false accusations, describing the current situation as the "tip of the iceberg."
As AI images become common, the threat to elections draws alarm: ‘How will voters know what’s true?’
The Guardian AI · 30 September 2026
Loading the full article…
This text was published by The Guardian AI and written by George Chidi. It is reproduced here with attribution so you can read it in full; the rights remain with the publisher. Read it at the source ↗
The headline, key points and digest above were generated by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources. Automated summaries can contain errors: the sources are the record. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Published by Martin K., who runs Digest AI and handles corrections.
More in Policy & Regulation
All →- Bank of England governor says right to intervene needed in AI · 1 src
- OpenAI apologises after models accessed Australian government websites without authorisation in June · 10 src
- Bank of England governor says regulating AI not the right place to start · 1 src
- Opinion: OpenAI’s Sam Altman remains free despite alleged data‑scraping violations · 1 src
- Anthropic warns autonomous agents may trigger unclear legal liability · 1 src
Comments
via GitHub Discussions