Lawmakers approve AI Abuse Act, offering deepfake protections in California
Sept. 15, 2025 — Lawmakers in Sacramento approved SB 11, the AI Abuse Act, late Friday night as the session neared its final hour.
The AI Abuse Act codifies the inclusion of computer-manipulated or AI-generated images or videos in the state’s right of publicity law and criminal false impersonation statutes.
Sponsored by Sen. Angelique Ashby, the proposal also requires those selling or providing access to technology that manipulates images, video, and audio, to create a warning for consumers about their personal liability if they violate state law.
A top-priority bill for the transparency coalition
Transparency Coalition CEO Rob Eleveld testified in favor of the bill in April.
Transparency Coalition CEO Rob Eleveld praised the legislature’s passage of the bill, which has been a high-priority proposal for the organization.
“We’re gratified to see California legislators taking action to protect their state’s residents against the troubling harm of deepfakes, and we urge Gov. Newsom to sign this necessary legislation into law,” Eleveld said.
“Deepfakes have quickly become one of the most tangible and widespread harms of AI, and they can have an especially damaging impact on our kids,” he added. “These deepfakes can be generated by literally anyone with no real knowledge needed. Girls in high schools across the country are being scarred in their youth by fake nudes and fake pornographic videos with their likenesses. SB 11 will discourage these abuses and offer legal recourse to victims by establishing clear penalties and accountability.”
closing an exploitation loophole
Sen. Angelique Ashby, sponsor of SB 11: Closing a loophole that has allowed harmful deepfakes to flourish.
“The rise of artificial intelligence presents great opportunities,” Ashby told her colleagues in the state Senate earlier this year. “However, there is a lack of legal framework for addressing deepfakes and nonconsensual images and videos. This leaves individuals vulnerable for various forms of exploitation, identity theft, scams, misinformation, and misrepresentation of their character.”
Ashby noted that harmful AI deepfakes disproportionately affect women and girls. “Of all the deepfake videos, 95 percent are sexually explicit and feature women who did not consent to their creation,” she said. “While these deepfakes often target public figures, easily accessible AI software allows users to create non-consensual content of anyone.”
SB 11 would address the misuse of AI technology by:
Clarifying the existing definition of ‘likeness’ under state law to include AI-generated content
Requiring consumer warnings on AI software
Establishing clear civil violations for the misuse of AI technology
Preventing AI-assisted evidence tampering in the courts
next step: the governor’s signature
California’s 2025 regular legislative session adjourned sine die on Friday, Sept. 13. Gov. Gavin Newsom now has until Oct. 12 to sign or veto the bills sent to him by lawmakers.