Legislators in Oklahoma are pushing forward with a measure that takes a hard stance against the misuse of AI and deepfake technology. According to the House's own press release, House Bill 3299 sailed through the House Criminal Judiciary Committee without a single dissenting vote. The bill aims to outlaw the creation and distribution of digitally manipulated content that depicts individuals without their consent, especially when such portrayals aim to do harm.
Rep. Neil Hays, the Checotah Republican spearheading the bill, outlined its necessity, citing an urgent need to maintain "As we awaken each day to more sophisticated AI-generated media, we must recommit to the fundamental truth in advertising and the basic rights of every Oklahoman," he told the press. Under the proposed legislation, offenders could face serious consequences, including misdemeanor charges leading to county jail time, hefty fines, or both. With the emergence of increasingly sophisticated AI, Hays expressed that these legal actions could help enclose the spiraling narrative around one's identity in the digital era with necessary guardrails, as mentioned in the same press release.
Financial damages exceeding $25,000 or more sinister acts like extortion, as per the bill, would bump the crime up to a felony, potentially resulting in up to five years behind bars plus a fine that could reach $10,000. In the context of political advertising, the bill mandates clear disclosure when digital media is manipulated—a failure to which may bring about misdemeanors and additional fines.
This isn't just theoretical. Media advertising agencies would be legally bound to procure written confirmation from content creators, verifying the use, or lack thereof, of edited material in their ads to ensure transparency. "This technology is moving faster than most people realize," Hays said, advocating the legislation's time-sensitive criticality, with Oklahoma poised to join the likes of Tennessee, which passed the ELVIS Act in 2024, in protecting the personal property rights inherent in one's identity, as noted on the Oklahoma House of Representatives website.
What's clear is that the bill acknowledges all individuals—not just minors or public figures—as owners of their name, image, likeness, and voice. HB3299 now advances to the House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee, a step closer to enshrining these protections into law and setting a precedent in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
