Two bills from CITED’s bill package pass the California Assembly & Senate; generative AI system used for child sexual abuse material taken down after CITED inquiry

SACRAMENTO – This week, legislation addressing the threat that AI-powered disinformation poses to our elections cleared the last major hurdle in the California state legislature. Ang mga bayarin, na itinataguyod ng California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED), a project of California Common Cause, passed the Senate and Assembly floors and now head to Governor Newsom’s desk to be signed into law by the end of September.

“If these bills are signed by the Governor, California will have taken the most assertive steps in the U.S. to date to address the dangers that AI and disinformation pose to our elections,” said Jonathan Mehta Stein, Executive Director ng California Common Cause at Co-Founder ng CITED. “We can’t afford to wait for another election or legislative cycle to take action. CITED’s legislation can help lead the way for reforms in other states and nationally in Congress.”

The legislative package aims to help regulate the dangers of disinformation turbocharged by AI and social media without stifling innovation or freedom of speech. The two CITED bills that now sit on the Governor’s desk are:

• AB 2839, mula sa Assemblymember Gail Pellerin. Pinapanatili ang mga mapanlinlang na deepfakes mula sa mga ad ng kampanya at komunikasyon sa halalan malapit sa Araw ng Halalan, pinoprotektahan ang mga kandidato at opisyal ng halalan habang iginagalang ang Unang Susog. Ang batas na ito ay maaaring tumugon sa pagbabahagi ni Elon Musk ng isang nakaliligaw na deepfake video of Vice President Kamala Harris, which was viewed 150 million times in one week on X. 
• AB 2655, mula kay Assemblymember Marc Berman. Combats online disinformation in our elections by requiring social media platforms to label generative AI deepfakes that can deceive voters as digital or fake content, and by prohibiting the posting of the most pernicious of them close to Election Day. 

“At home and around the world, we’re already seeing how AI-powered disinformation can undermine the integrity of election processes and hurt voters,” said Drew Liebert, Direktor ng CITED. “CITED’s bills represent some of the most nuanced, balanced, and forward-looking attempts in the United States seeking to protect our democracy from the growing digital threats. We hope the Governor will keep California as the nation’s democracy leader and make these bold measures models for the nation.”

Additionally, this week a popular AI deepfake tool used to generate child sexual abuse material and non-consensual intimate imagery (also known as child pornography and deepfake pornography) was recalled after inquiries from CITED’s Senior Policy Advisor, David Evan Harris. This sets a precedent that AI companies will likely see increased scrutiny should they continue releasing irresponsible and unethical products.

Inilunsad ng California Common Cause ang California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED) noong Nobyembre 2023 upang tulungan ang California na pangunahan ang laban para sa mga solusyon sa mga banta na idinudulot ng disinformation, AI, deepfakes, at iba pang mga umuusbong na teknolohiya sa ating demokrasya at halalan. Gutom na ang publiko sa mga solusyong iyon. Sa Nobyembre 2023 na botohan mula sa Berkeley IGS, Sinabi ng 84% ng mga botante ng California na nag-aalala sila tungkol sa mga digital na banta sa mga halalan at sinabi ng 73% na naniniwala sila na ang gobyerno ng estado ay may "responsibilidad" na kumilos. Ang suportang iyon ay tumatakbo sa mga botante ng lahat ng lahi, edad, kasarian, rehiyon, at partidong pampulitika.

Ang mga panukala ng CITED ay ipinaalam sa pamamagitan ng pananaliksik at pamumuno ng pag-iisip mula sa titans sa tech, batas, pampublikong patakaran, karapatang sibil, pakikipag-ugnayan sa sibiko, at akademya, at naiimpluwensyahan ng mga tagumpay at umuusbong na ideya mula sa European Union, White House, Kongreso, at mga estado sa buong bansa. Independiyente sa industriya at may dalawang partidong pamumuno, ang patnubay ng CITED ay hiwalay sa mga pribadong agenda at partisanship. 

In its first year, CITED has cemented itself as Sacramento’s go-to source of independent, unbiased policy expertise where technology issues impact democracy and voters. In addition to advising key decision-makers, and in the face of congressional inaction, CITED advanced its own legislative agenda.

Ang California Common Cause at CITED ay nagpapasalamat kay Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, Assemblymember Marc Berman, at Senator Steve Padilla para sa kanilang pamumuno at pakikipagtulungan sa 2024 legislative session.