A Bill to Protect Politicians from Themselves

And the Rest of Us from Deepfakes

Ever vigilant to defend truth, justice, and their political skins, the Nevada Legislature has set its sights on artificial intelligence—or at least the parts of it that might embarrass them. Four Assemblymembers have proposed AB 271, a bill regulating campaign materials that use computer-generated trickery, known as deepfakes.

Under the proposed law, any political video or audio utilizing artificial intelligence to portray a candidate in a less-than-flattering light must have a disclaimer—so people will know that their favorite officeholder never said or did anything ridiculous. The requirement kicks in within 90 days of an election, ensuring that only good, honest, old-fashioned mudslinging makes it into the final stretch.

While the bill curbs technological deception, it contains loopholes like news reports, commentary, satire, and parody. One might wonder how the average voter can distinguish between a deepfake and a good, hearty lampoon—especially when the behavior of certain politicians is often indistinguishable from satire.

A deepfake, as defined by the bill, is “synthetic media” intended to harm a candidate’s reputation by depicting them engaging in fictional misdeeds. It also requires campaign materials to disclose if they feature “materially deceptive” depictions, including adjustments to a candidate’s physical appearance. Whether this means an airbrushed campaign photo constitutes a criminal offense remains to be seen.

Violators of this statute could face a misdemeanor charge, while the wronged candidate would have the right to seek an injunction and damages. Meanwhile, at least twenty other states have passed similar laws, with some only allowing for civil penalties, proving once again that Nevada lawmakers are nothing if not bold in their pursuit of truth—or at least the illusion of it.

Lastly, in a flourish of wisdom, AB 271 would also prohibit using artificial intelligence in ballot processing or counting, extending its reach beyond campaign theatrics and into the sacred act of vote tallying. No longer will cold, unfeeling machines determine whose dubious promises win the day—that honor remains reserved for human error.

As of yet, there’s no hearing set. But rest assured, when that day comes, every word spoken will be 100 percent authentic, unfiltered, and free of artificial intelligence—just as nature intended.