Elon Musk’s X Sues California Regarding ‘Deepfake’ Law

The Battle over free speech or #deepfake regulations??

In a bold move, Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) has filed a #lawsuit against the state of California, in an attempt to block a new law requiring large online platforms to remove or label deceptive election content. The recent law requires social media giants to disclose how they are moderating content, particularly deepfake videos and other manipulated content across the platform.?

The lawsuit was filed this week in federal court targeting the law that is specifically here to combat harmful videos, images, and audio that are altered with an AI tool known as deepfakes. This AI tool alters content and makes it appear like someone said or did something that they didn’t. It can cause many ethical issues. And the law for this is scheduled to take effect from Jan 1.?

Assembly Bill 2655 was one of three bills California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law this year to address growing concerns about deepfakes ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. California lawmakers have been trying to mitigate technology’s potential risks but also face a backlash from powerful tech executives wary of efforts they see as possibly restricting users’ online speech.

This focus on deepfakes came after Newsom sparred online with #Musk, who shared a viral video of Vice President Kamala Harris that used #AI to alter what the Democrat said in one of her campaign ads. Republican Donald Trump, who had Musk’s strong backing in his successful run to reclaim the presidency, also posted deepfake images of Taylor Swift that falsely suggested the megastar had endorsed him.

But according to X this law would prompt social media platforms to lean towards labeling or removing legitimate content around elections. Musk’s X also argues that the law violates the First Amendment, claiming it imposes excessive burdens on social media platforms and infringes on free speech protections. But California asserts the law is essential to safeguard against the spread of misinformation and protect public discourse.?

“This system will inevitably result in the censorship of wide swaths of valuable political speech and commentary,” the lawsuit states.

According to the lawsuit, the law runs afoul of free speech protections in the U.S. Constitution and a federal law known as Section 230, which shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content. X, which moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Texas this year, is suing California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber to block the law.

“The California Department of Justice has been and will continue to vigorously defend AB 2655 in court,” a spokesperson for Bonta said in a statement.

X didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, and the secretary of state’s office said the agency doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), who introduced AB 2655, said in a statement that he had reached out to X representatives to gather feedback about the legislation before lawmakers voted on it.

“I had hoped they would engage constructively with me during the legislative process. I was not surprised when they did not. I defer to the DOJ on any lawsuits,” Berman said in a statement.

Recent election deepfakes raise concerns about information online. What are your thoughts Should special media platforms have the freedom to manage content the way they want or should there be some regulations, especially to combat altered content like deepfakes and other misinformation??

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