Bill Text: NJ S2544 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Establishes criminal penalties for production or dissemination of deceptive audio or visual media, commonly known as "deepfakes."
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-06-24 - Reported from Senate Committee as a Substitute, 2nd Reading [S2544 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2544-Comm_Sub.html
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE, No. 2544
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
ADOPTED JUNE 24, 2024
Sponsored by:
Senator PAUL D. MORIARTY
District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)
Senator KRISTIN M. CORRADO
District 40 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Bramnick, Turner and Scutari
SYNOPSIS
Establishes criminal penalties for production or dissemination of deceptive audio or visual media, commonly known as "deepfakes."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Substitute as adopted by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
An Act establishing criminal penalties for the production and dissemination of deceptive audio or visual media and supplementing Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Deceptive audio or visual media" means any video recording, motion picture film, sound recording, electronic image, photograph, any technological representation of speech or conduct substantially derivative thereof, or any forgery or facsimile of a document or writing, that appears to a reasonable person to realistically depict any speech, conduct, or writing of a person who did not in fact engage in the speech, conduct, or writing, and the production of which was substantially dependent upon technical means, rather than the ability of another person to physically or verbally impersonate the person.
"Disclose" means to sell, give, provide, lend, trade, mail, deliver, transfer, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, present, exhibit, advertise, offer, share, or make available via the Internet or by any other means, whether or not for pecuniary gain.
"Interactive computer service provider" shall have the same meaning as set forth in 47 U.S.C. s.230.
"Solicit" means to offer to create or generate, or to advertise the ability to create or generate, a work of deceptive audio or visual media, whether or not for hire, commission, monetary remuneration, or pecuniary gain. "Solicit" shall also mean to request the creation or generation of a work of deceptive audio or visual media, whether or not for monetary remuneration or compensation.
"Victim" means a person who suffers personal, physical, or psychological injury or death or incurs loss of or injury to personal or real property as a result of the conduct of another that would constitute a violation of subsections b. or c. of this section. "Victim" also includes the spouse, parent, legal guardian, grandparent, child, sibling, domestic partner, or civil union partner of the decedent in the case of a person's death.
"Video streaming service" means a service that transmits video content over the Internet that is played continuously without download.
b. A natural person commits a crime of the third degree if, without license or privilege to do so, the person generates or creates, or causes to be generated or created, a work of deceptive audio or visual media with the intent that it be used as part of a plan or course of conduct to commit any crime or offense, including but not limited to:
(1) a crime or offense under chapters 14, 16, 20, 21, 28, or 29 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes;
(2) advertising commercial sex abuse of a minor, pursuant to subsection b. of section 12 of P.L.2013, c.51 (C.2C:13-10);
(3) endangering the welfare of children, pursuant to N.J.S.2C:24-4;
(4) threats or improper influence in official and political matters, pursuant to N.J.S.2C:27-3;
(5) false public alarms, pursuant to N.J.S.2C:33-3;
(6) harassment, pursuant to N.J.S.2C:33-4;
(7) cyber-harassment, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2013, c.272 (C.2C:33-4.1); or
(8) hazing, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1980, c.169 (C.2C:40-3).
The trier of fact may infer that a work of deceptive audio or visual media was generated or created without license or privilege to do so if the work was generated or created using a commercially or publicly available generative artificial intelligence system in violation of the terms of service, terms of use, or end user license agreement of the system.
c. (1) A natural person commits a crime of the third degree if, without license or privilege to do so, the person solicits, discloses, or uses a work of deceptive audio or visual media as part of a plan or course of conduct to commit any crime or offense, including but not limited to any crime or offense listed in subsection b. of this section.
(2) A natural person commits a crime of the third degree if, without license or privilege to do so, the person discloses a work of deceptive audio or visual media that the person knows or reasonably should know was created in violation of subsection b. of this section.
d. In addition to any term of imprisonment imposed pursuant to N.J.S.2C:43-6 and notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, a fine of up to $30,000 may be imposed for a violation of this section.
e. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:1-8 or any other provisions of law:
(1) a conviction arising under subsection b. of this section shall not merge with a conviction under subsection c. of this section, nor shall a conviction under subsection c. of this section merge with a conviction under subsection b. of this section; and
(2) a conviction arising under subsection b. or paragraph (1) of subsection c. of this section shall not merge with a conviction of any underlying offense, nor shall any conviction for such underlying offense merge with a conviction under subsection b. of this section. The court shall impose separate sentences upon a conviction under subsection b. or paragraph (1) of subsection c. of this section and a conviction of any underlying offense.
f. A natural person who violates the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be liable to the victim of the violation, and the victim may bring a civil action in the Superior Court. The court may award:
(1) actual damages, but not less than liquidated damages computed at the rate of $1,000 for each violation of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);
(2) punitive damages upon proof of willful or reckless disregard of the law;
(3) reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs reasonably incurred; and
(4) other such preliminary and equitable relief as the court determines appropriate.
A conviction for a violation of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall not be a prerequisite for a civil action brought pursuant to this subsection. The civil action authorized by this subsection shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other civil action, injunctive relief, or other remedy available at law, including, but not limited to, a civil action for common law defamation, libel, slander, invasion of privacy, false light, misappropriation of identity, intrusion of privacy, or public disclosure of private facts.
g. (1) It shall be deemed a fair use and shall not be a violation of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) if a work of deceptive audio or visual media is clearly identified as a work of deceptive audio or visual media or, if the deceptive nature of the work is unknown or unverified, but is clearly identified as a possible work of deceptive audio or visual media, is disclosed in connection with criticism, comment, satire, parody, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. s.107.
(2) P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall not apply to an interactive computer service provider, cloud services provider, or commercial developer or provider of artificial intelligence technology, and shall not be construed to alter or negate any rights, obligations, or immunities of an interactive computer service provider or cloud services provider pursuant to 47 U.S.C. s.230.
(3) P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall not apply to any broadcasting station, cable service, radio station, telecommunications carrier, or television station, as those terms are defined pursuant to 47 U.S.C. s.153, or to any billboard, Internet website, mobile application, video streaming service, newspaper, magazine, publication, or printed matter through which an advertisement containing deceptive audio or visual media appears.
(4) This section shall not apply to any broadcasting station, including a cable or satellite television company, programmer, or producer, an Internet website, or a regularly published newspaper, magazine, or other periodical of general circulation, including an Internet or electronic publication, that routinely carries news and commentary of general interest, and that broadcasts or publishes any deceptive audio or visual media prohibited by this section for the purpose of disseminating newsworthy facts; provided that the broadcast or publication shall clearly contain a disclaimer which is either shown or read aloud that identifies the deceptive audio or visual media and states that the deceptive audio or visual media contains manipulated images or sound. If the deceptive nature of the work is unknown or unverified, the broadcast or publication shall clearly contain a disclaimer which is either shown or read aloud that identifies the work as a possible work of deceptive audio or visual media.
(5) It shall not be a violation of this section to disclose any deceptive audio or visual media to law enforcement officers in connection with a criminal investigation or prosecution of a violation of this section; pursuant to a subpoena or court order requiring the disclosure of a work of deceptive audio or visual media; or in furtherance of an investigation concerning fraud, cybersecurity, identity theft, harassment, or a violation of a commercial computer network's contractual terms of service.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
