Federal court bars California from enforcing ‘unconstitutional’ deepfakes law

A California law aimed at protecting election integrity from “deepfakes” enabled by artificial intelligence entirely violates the Constitution’s free speech provisions and shall not be enforced, according to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

“While there are serious concerns about deepfakes and AI affecting elections, California’s AB 2839 represents a law that is well intentioned but constitutionally infirm,” senior U.S. District Judge John Mendez ruled in an Aug. 29 order.

The decision comes as research...