Rep. Thomas M. Stanley pushes bills to rein in deceptive AI in political ads

State Rep. Thomas M. Stanley of Waltham is backing a pair of House-approved bills he said will help shield Massachusetts elections from deceptive uses of artificial intelligence.

Stanley, a Democrat whose district comprises most of Waltham, supported legislation that would both restrict misleading AI-generated election content and require campaigns to disclose when they use synthetic media in political ads. He said lawmakers have a responsibility to “protect voters and elections by prohibiting the deceptive use of AI in political campaigns and advertisements.”

One measure, An Act to Protect Against Election Misinformation, would bar the distribution of deceptive communications about candidates or the electoral process within 90 days of an election. It targets fabricated or manipulated audio and video meant to damage a candidate’s reputation or mislead voters about when, where and how to vote, certification of results, or endorsements by parties, public officials or organizations. The bill also allows candidates whose image or voice is used in deceptive media to seek a court order blocking distribution or to sue for damages and attorney fees.

Exemptions for the 90-day prohibition include media outlets that air the ads or report on the ads as part of a newscast as long as they clearly acknowledge that there are questions about its authenticity. Satire and parody are also exempt. 

A second bill, An Act Enhancing Disclosure Requirements for Synthetic Media in Political Advertising, would require that any synthetic audio or video aimed at influencing an election clearly state at the beginning and end that it contains AI-generated material. Campaigns that fail to include the disclosure could face fines of up to $1,000.

Stanley praised House leadership for advancing the measures, saying he was thankful to Speaker Ron Mariano, committee chairs and his colleagues “for their work to make this legislation a priority and get it across the finish line in the House.” The misinformation bill passed 154-3 and the synthetic media disclosure bill passed 157-0; both now move to the Senate for consideration.