Prohibit distributing deepfakes under the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act
LB615 would amend Nebraska election law to create the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act and prohibit certain deceptive or fraudulent “deepfakes” and synthetic media in the period leading up to an election. The bill defines deceptive deepfakes and synthetic media as realistic but false image, audio, or video content that depicts a candidate, political party, or other individual in a way that could mislead voters or damage reputations. It generally bars persons and entities from distributing such material within 90 days before an election if they know or should know it is a deceptive deepfake of a candidate or party on the ballot.
The bill also requires clear disclosures for manipulated or AI-generated media, specifying how those disclosures must appear for images, video, and audio. It creates a private enforcement remedy allowing a candidate depicted in a prohibited deepfake to seek injunctive or other equitable relief to stop publication. At the same time, it includes exceptions for bona fide news reporting, interviews, documentaries, on-the-spot coverage, paid candidate advertising required by federal law, good-faith broadcast efforts to verify content, and satire or parody. The bill contains a severability clause and repeals the original section it amends.
LB615 would add new election-related restrictions to Nebraska law by regulating the creation and distribution of deceptive AI-generated or manipulated media in political campaigns. It would affect candidates, political parties, persons, committees, broadcasters, newspapers, online publishers, and other entities that distribute political content, while also imposing disclosure obligations for synthetic media. The bill would create a new statutory framework under the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act and provide candidates with a legal tool to seek court orders against prohibited deepfakes.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill’s structure, it appears aimed at addressing concerns about election misinformation and AI-generated political deception, while trying to preserve news reporting, satire, and other protected speech through explicit exceptions. The bill’s eventual status as indefinitely postponed suggests it did not advance, but the provided materials do not explain why.
The main points of contention likely involve the balance between preventing election fraud and protecting free speech. Potential critics would focus on the breadth of terms such as “deceptive and fraudulent deepfake,” the 90-day pre-election restriction, and the risk of chilling political speech, satire, parody, journalism, and online commentary. Supporters would likely emphasize voter protection, transparency, and the need to respond to rapidly improving AI tools that can create realistic false political media. The bill attempts to address these concerns by carving out exceptions for bona fide news and parody and by requiring disclosures rather than imposing a blanket ban on all synthetic media.