In what appears to be an ongoing battle against digital deceit, Rep. Neil Hays, R-Checotah, is gearing up to introduce a reworked version of his deep-fake regulation bill. In 2024, he initially pushed forward House Bill 3073 with the intent to set boundaries in the burgeoning era of AI-generated content. Targeting advertisements and digital media that make unauthorized use of a person's name, likeness, or voice, the bill aimed to establish criminal penalties for those skewing reality without consent, the Oklahoma House of Representatives reports.
While Hays previous attempt crossed the threshold of the House, it stalled before making it through the state Senate. Determined not to easily give in to defeat, the legislator is revisiting his proposal, which seeks to more effectively combat potential abuses of deep-fake tech. "Every Oklahoman deserves to control their name, image, likeness, and voice — and to know that when they are depicted, especially in an effort to influence the public, that they’re portrayed accurately," explained Hays.
The refined bill continues to focus on the wrongdoing of circulating falsified digital likenesses with malicious intent; a misdemeanor on first offense, escalating quickly to a felony for repeat transgressors. HB 3073's primary objective is to hold accountable those who aim to deliberately mislead through technology, thus corrupting the fundamentals of reliable communication. "If we erode trust because people are unsure whether what they see or hear is real, then we erode the very foundation of free and fair communication," Hays said in the statement reported by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Rep. Hays underscores the importance of adjusting legislation to steadfastly keep up with advances in technology. "Technology isn’t slowing down, and legislation must keep pace,” he stated. His initiative not only aims to restore integrity within digital media but also to emphasize the importance of transparency and consent in the age of artificial intelligence. The upcoming legislative session, set to commence on February 2, will serve as the arena for Refiled House Bill 3073 and its advocate, Neil Hays, as they together seek to cement digital rights and authenticity in the ever-evolving arena of AI, as mentioned in the same news.
