The Democratic governor was joined by Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, state Attorney General Matt Platkin and Westfield High School junior Francesca Mani, whose male classmates created deepfakes of her and other female classmates two years ago, which helped spur the legislation.
“I am proud to sign today’s legislation and take a stand against deceptive and dangerous deepfakes,” Murphy said. “While artificial intelligence has proven to be a powerful tool, it must be used responsibly.”
Deepfakes — deceptive, AI-generated images, videos and audio recordings — have been a growing concern among legislators and the public, particularly when it comes to deepfake pornography.
The measure, A3540, establishes third-degree criminal penalties in the state for those who produce deepfake audio or visual media for an unlawful purpose, or share deepfakes that were created for an unlawful purpose. If convicted, the creator or distributor could face a prison term of three to five years, a fine of up to $30,000, or both, according to the bill.
Third-degree offenses can also carry their own fines of up to $15,000.
In late March, Murphy conditionally vetoed the bill so he could suggest tweaks to make its language more precise and minimize potential constitutional challenges, he said.
It came after a group of boys at Westfield High School made deepfake pornographic images of their female classmates — including Mani, who was 14 years old at the time — and shared them without the girls’ knowledge or consent. Since the incident, Mani and her mother have advocated for federal legislation to combat the problem of deepfakes.
“You are truly the epitome of bravery,” Way told Mani on Wednesday.
Mani said she was honored to join Murphy as he signed the bill.
“This victory belongs to every woman and teenager told nothing could be done, that it was impossible, and to just move on,” she said. “It’s proof that with the right support, we can create change together.”
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