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Digitally-altered campaign materials must use disclaimer under House-approved bill

Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) addressed the House about her bill to require disclaimers for digitally-altered or artificially-generated campaign materials on Jan. 25, 2024.
Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) addressed the House about her bill to require disclaimers for digitally-altered or artificially-generated campaign materials on Jan. 25, 2024.

Campaign materials that digitally alter or artificially generate a candidate or elected official’s appearance, speech or conduct without their consent would now have to include a disclaimer under  legislation unanimously approved by the House Thursday.

Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) said the rise of artificial intelligence has made creating and altering images, videos and recordings easier and more realistic.

“People can no longer always decipher what is real and what is fabricated,” Olthoff said.

READ MORE: How do I follow Indiana’s legislative session? Here’s your guide to demystify the process

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If digitally-altered or artificially-generated campaign materials don’t include the disclaimer,  HB 1133 would allow candidates or elected officials to sue the person who paid for or sponsored the campaign material.

The measure now heads to the Senate.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at  bsmith@ipbs.org  or follow him on Twitter at  @brandonjsmith5 .

Brandon J. Smith has previously worked as a reporter and anchor for KBIA Radio in Columbia, MO. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, IL as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.