WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 2 REQUIREMENT TYPES
How Is This Bill Enforced
Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.
1(a)–(b) 1. For the purposes of this section: a. "Deceptive and fraudulent deepfakeDeceptive and fraudulent deepfake"Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake" means synthetic media that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter and that does any of the following: (1) Appears to a reasonable person to depict a real individual saying or doing something that did not actually occur in reality. (2) Provides a reasonable person a fundamentally different understanding or impression of an appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from an unaltered, original version of an image, audio recording, or video recording.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(a)" means synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, action, or speech that has been created or intentionally manipulated with the use of generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(b) that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter and that does any of the following: (1) Appears to a reasonable person to depict a real individual saying or doing something that did not actually occur in reality. (2) Provides a reasonable person a fundamentally different understanding or impression of an appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from an unaltered, original version of an image, audio recording, or video recording. b. "Synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, action, or speech that has been created or intentionally manipulated with the use of generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(b)" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, action, or speech that has been created or intentionally manipulated with the use of generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video.
2 1 2. Except as provided in subsection 3, a person shall not, within ninety days of an election at which a candidate will appear on a ballot, distribute a synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, action, or speech that has been created or intentionally manipulated with the use of generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(b) message that the person knows or should have known is a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of a candidate or party on the ballot.
3(a)–(b) 2 3. Subsection 2 does not apply if the synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, action, or speech that has been created or intentionally manipulated with the use of generative adversarial network techniques or other digital technology in a manner to create a realistic but false image, audio, or video.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(b) includes a disclosure stating that the image, audio, or video has been manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence. a. For visual media, the text of the disclosure shall appear in a size that is easily readable by the average viewer and no smaller than the largest font size of other text appearing in the visual media. If the visual media does not include any other text, the disclosure shall appear in a size that is easily readable by the average viewer. For visual media that is video, the disclosure shall appear for the duration of the video. b. For media that consists of audio only, the disclosure shall be read in a clearly spoken manner and in a pitch that can be easily heard by the average listener, at the beginning of the audio, at the end of the audio, and, if the audio is greater than two minutes in length, interspersed within the audio at intervals of not greater than two minutes each.
4 4. This section does not apply to a radio or television broadcasting station, including a cable or satellite television operator, programmer, or producer, that broadcasts a deceptive and fraudulent deepfakeDeceptive and fraudulent deepfake"Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake" means synthetic media that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter and that does any of the following: (1) Appears to a reasonable person to depict a real individual saying or doing something that did not actually occur in reality. (2) Provides a reasonable person a fundamentally different understanding or impression of an appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from an unaltered, original version of an image, audio recording, or video recording.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(a) prohibited by this section as part of a bona fide newscast, news interview, news documentary, or on-the-spot coverage of bona fide news events, if the broadcast clearly acknowledges through content or a disclosure, in a manner that can be easily heard or read by the average listener or viewer, that there are questions about the authenticity of the audio or visual media.
5 5. This section does not apply to a radio or television broadcasting station, including a cable or satellite television operator, programmer, or producer, when it is paid to broadcast a deceptive and fraudulent deepfakeDeceptive and fraudulent deepfake"Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake" means synthetic media that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter and that does any of the following: (1) Appears to a reasonable person to depict a real individual saying or doing something that did not actually occur in reality. (2) Provides a reasonable person a fundamentally different understanding or impression of an appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from an unaltered, original version of an image, audio recording, or video recording.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(a) and has made a good-faith effort to establish the depiction is not a deceptive and fraudulent deepfakeDeceptive and fraudulent deepfake"Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake" means synthetic media that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter and that does any of the following: (1) Appears to a reasonable person to depict a real individual saying or doing something that did not actually occur in reality. (2) Provides a reasonable person a fundamentally different understanding or impression of an appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from an unaltered, original version of an image, audio recording, or video recording.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(a).
6 6. This section does not apply to an internet site 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 publishes audio or visual media prohibited by this section, if the publication clearly states that the media does not accurately represent the speech or conduct of the candidate.
7 7. This section does not apply to audio or visual media that constitutes satire or parody.
8(a) 8. Notwithstanding section 68A.701: a. A candidate whose appearance, action, or speech is depicted through the use of a deceptive and fraudulent deepfakeDeceptive and fraudulent deepfake"Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake" means synthetic media that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter and that does any of the following: (1) Appears to a reasonable person to depict a real individual saying or doing something that did not actually occur in reality. (2) Provides a reasonable person a fundamentally different understanding or impression of an appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from an unaltered, original version of an image, audio recording, or video recording.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(a) in violation of subsection 2 may seek injunctive or other equitable relief prohibiting the publication of such deceptive and fraudulent deepfakeDeceptive and fraudulent deepfake"Deceptive and fraudulent deepfake" means synthetic media that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter and that does any of the following: (1) Appears to a reasonable person to depict a real individual saying or doing something that did not actually occur in reality. (2) Provides a reasonable person a fundamentally different understanding or impression of an appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from an unaltered, original version of an image, audio recording, or video recording.Iowa Code § 68A.507(1)(a).
8(b) b. A person who violates subsection 2 is guilty of a simple misdemeanor punishable by confinement for no more than ninety days and a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
8(c) c. A person who violates subsection 2 with the intent to cause violence or bodily harm is guilty of a serious misdemeanor.
8(d) d. A person who violates subsection 2 within five years of a prior conviction for a violation of subsection 2 is guilty of a class "D" felony.
This new section creates Iowa's first prohibition on election-related deepfakes. The operative prohibition bars any person from distributing synthetic media that the person knows or should have known is a deceptive and fraudulent deepfake of a candidate or political party on the ballot, within 90 days of the election. The prohibition is not absolute — it is structured as a default ban with an AI-disclosure safe harbor: a person may distribute the media if it includes a disclosure stating the content has been manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence, with format-specific requirements for visual and audio media.
The section carves out broadcast media in two circumstances (bona fide news coverage with authenticity disclosures, and paid broadcasts where the broadcaster made a good-faith verification effort), news publications that clearly state the media is inaccurate, and satire or parody. A depicted candidate has standing to seek injunctive relief. Criminal penalties escalate from simple misdemeanor to serious misdemeanor (intent to cause violence) to class D felony (repeat offender within five years).