Boomers in Congress Are About to Outlaw Memes

==========

The ongoing bipartisan push in Congress to pass so-called 'AI fraud' legislation would severely curtail free expression online and potentially prohibit everything from South Park episodes to memes featuring famous people. The 'NO AI Fraud Act' recently introduced by Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Madeleine Dean (D-PA) implicates all sorts of digital expression and contains no sufficient carveouts for memes, humor, satire, parody, commentary, and other First Amendment protected activities. The bill creates financial penalties and legal liability for anyone who publishes, performs, distributes, transmits, or otherwise makes available to the public a digital voice replica or digital depiction without authorization. The term 'digital depiction' is defined so broadly that it includes any replica, imitation, or approximation of the likeness of an individual created or altered using digital technology. The bill could potentially prohibit and punish digitally created political cartoons, satirical AI videos, and South Park episodes that mock public figures. A coalition of groups committed to free expression, including the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has sent a letter to Congress highlighting the problems with the bill. The legislation could also jeopardize basic digital technology by regulating the distribution of 'digital cloning technology,' potentially inviting lawsuits against smartphones and other devices that allow users to edit video, images, and audio recordings. The article argues that much of the technology legislation being proposed is premature and duplicates existing laws that already prohibit harmful behavior. The article suggests that younger, more technologically literate people in Congress are needed to develop limited and narrow forms of AI regulation. The current approach by older lawmakers is seen as more focused on public relations and exploiting fear of new technology rather than on technological literacy and policy competence.

#AiFraud #Congress #Memes #FreeExpression #FirstAmendment #DigitalTechnology #Legislation

https://www.newsweek.com/boomers-congress-are-about-outlaw-memes-opinion-1867909