California Defending Democracy From Deepfake Deception Act of 2024 - A.B.2655

Summary

The bill would require a large online platform to block the posting of materially deceptive content related to elections in California during specified periods before and after an election. It would also require a large online platform to label certain additional content inauthentic, fake, or false during specified periods before and after an election in California and develop procedures for California residents to report content that has not been blocked or labeled in compliance with the act.

It would further authorize candidates for elected office, elected officials, elections officials, the Attorney General, and a district attorney or city attorney to seek injunctive relief against a large online platform for noncompliance with the act, as specified, and would assign precedence to such actions when they are filed in court.

The bill would exempt content that is satire or parody and exempt broadcasting stations and regularly published online newspapers, magazines, or other periodicals of general circulation that satisfy specified requirements.

Updates

May 22, 2024. Passed state assembly by a vote of 56 to 1.

August 27, 2024. Amended version passed state senate by a vote of 31 to 9.

August 28, 2024. Amended version passed state assembly by a vote of 59 to 8.

September 17, 2024. Approved by the governor. Complaint filed on behalf of Christopher Kohls in the US Eastern District Court of California to enjoin the enforcement of the law and declare it "unconstitutional in violation of both the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution and Article I, § 2 of the California Constitution."

November 14, 2024. X Corp filed a complaint challenging the constitutionality and validity of the law.