Idaho · House Bill · Sixty-seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session — 2024
HB407
Idaho House Bill 407 — Freedom From AI-Rigged (FAIR) Elections Act

Status ● Failed Effective N/A Passage Likelihood N/A

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 1 REQUIREMENT TYPE

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
Private right of action only. A candidate whose appearance, action, or speech is altered through synthetic media in an electioneering communication may seek injunctive or equitable relief and may bring a damages action against the sponsor. No designated agency enforcer. Liability runs to the sponsor of the electioneering communication; the disseminating medium is generally not liable except where it strips a disclosure or itself creates the synthetic media. Interactive computer services receive CDA-style protection except under subsection (9). The plaintiff bears the burden of establishing use of synthetic media by clear and convincing evidence. An affirmative defense is available if the communication includes a prescribed manipulation disclosure.
Private Right of Action
Private right of action only.
Penalties
General damages, special damages, or both are available. The court may award reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the prevailing party. These remedies do not limit or preclude the plaintiff from securing any other available remedy. Injunctive or other equitable relief is also available.

What This Bill Requires

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.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
Idaho Code § 67-6628A
Electioneering communications — use of synthetic media
DeployerPublisher

(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Freedom From AI-Rigged (FAIR) Elections Act."

(2) For purposes of this section: (a) "Information content providerInformation content provider"Information content provider" means any person or entity that is responsible, in whole or in part, for the creation or development of information provided through the internet or any other interactive computer service.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(a)" means any person or entity that is responsible, in whole or in part, for the creation or development of information provided through the internet or any other interactive computer serviceInteractive computer service"Interactive computer service" means any information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(b). (b) "Interactive computer serviceInteractive computer service"Interactive computer service" means any information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(b)" means any information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions. (c) "Synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c)" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.

(3) 1 A candidate whose appearance, action, or speech is altered through the use of synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c) in an electioneering communication may seek injunctive or other equitable relief prohibiting the publication of such synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c).

(4) 1 A candidate whose appearance, action, or speech is altered through the use of synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c) in an electioneering communication may bring an action for general damages, special damages, or both against the sponsor. The court may also award a prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The provisions of this subsection do not limit or preclude a plaintiff from securing or recovering any other available remedy.

(5) 2 It shall be an affirmative defense for any action brought pursuant to this section that the electioneering communication containing a synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c) includes a disclosure stating, "This (image/video/audio) has been manipulated" in the following manner: (a) For visual media, the text of the disclosure must appear in size 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 must appear in a size that is easily readable by the average viewer. For visual media that is a video, the disclosure must appear for the duration of the video; or (b) If the media consists of audio only, the disclosure must 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 (2) minutes in length, interspersed within the audio at intervals of not more than two (2) minutes each.

(6) In any action commenced pursuant to this section, the plaintiff bears the burden of establishing the use of synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c) by clear and convincing evidence.

(7) Courts are encouraged to determine matters pursuant to this section expediently.

(8) For an action brought pursuant to this section, the sponsor of the electioneering communication may be held liable and not the medium disseminating the electioneering communication, except as provided in subsection (9) of this section.

(9) 3 Except when a licensee, programmer, or operator of a federally licensed broadcasting station transmits an electioneering communication that is subject to 47 U.S.C. 315, a medium may be held liable in a cause of action brought pursuant to this section if: (a) The medium removes any disclosure described in subsection (5) of this section from the electioneering communication it disseminates; or (b) Subject to affirmative defenses described in this section, the medium changes the content of an electioneering communication such that it qualifies as synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c).

(10) No provider or user of an interactive computer serviceInteractive computer service"Interactive computer service" means any information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(b) shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content providerInformation content provider"Information content provider" means any person or entity that is responsible, in whole or in part, for the creation or development of information provided through the internet or any other interactive computer service.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(a). However, an interactive computer serviceInteractive computer service"Interactive computer service" means any information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(b) may be held liable in accordance with subsection (9) of this section.

This section establishes the substantive framework of the FAIR Elections Act. It defines synthetic media as intentionally manipulated images, audio, or video that create a realistic but false depiction of a real individual, then creates two distinct private rights of action for candidates depicted via synthetic media in electioneering communications: one for injunctive relief and one for damages against the sponsor.

The act provides an affirmative defense when the communication carries a prescribed manipulation disclosure in a specified format — visual text for visual media and spoken disclosure for audio-only media. The evidentiary burden is elevated to clear and convincing evidence. Liability is channeled to the sponsor rather than the disseminating medium, with narrow exceptions where a medium strips disclosure labels or itself creates qualifying synthetic media. Interactive computer services receive CDA-style publisher immunity but remain exposed under the medium-liability exceptions.

Compliance actions 3 items
1
Sponsors of electioneering communications must not publish synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c) that alters a candidate's appearance, action, or speech without including the prescribed manipulation disclosure. A candidate depicted in such synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c) may obtain injunctive relief and recover general damages, special damages, attorney's fees, and costs.
CP-01.7
2
Sponsors of electioneering communications containing synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c) must include a disclosure stating 'This (image/video/audio) has been manipulated' — in text no smaller than the largest font in the visual media (or easily readable if no other text is present), displayed for the duration of any video, and for audio-only media, read clearly at the beginning, end, and at intervals of no more than two minutes.
CP-01.6
3
Disseminating media must not remove manipulation disclosures from electioneering communications they distribute, and must not alter electioneering communication content so as to create qualifying synthetic mediaSynthetic media"Synthetic media" means an image, an audio recording, or a video recording of an individual's appearance, speech, or conduct that has been 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 that produces: (i) A depiction that to a reasonable individual is of a real individual in appearance, action, or speech that did not actually occur in reality; and (ii) A fundamentally different understanding or impression of the appearance, action, or speech than a reasonable person would have from the unaltered, original version of the image, audio recording, or video recording.Idaho Code § 67-6628A(2)(c). A medium that does either may be held liable. Federally licensed broadcasting stations transmitting communications subject to 47 U.S.C. § 315 are exempt.
CP-01.6
Section 2 (Severability)
Severability

The provisions of this act are hereby declared to be severable, and if any provision of this act or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance is declared invalid for any reason, such declaration shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this act.

Standard severability clause declaring that if any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions survive. Creates no compliance obligation.

Section 3 (Emergency Clause and Effective Date)
Emergency declaration and effective date

An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after July 1, 2024.

Declares an emergency and sets the effective date at July 1, 2024. Creates no compliance obligation.

Passage Likelihood

Failed
Status Failed
Final action Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs

Legislative History

2024-01-18 Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
2024-01-19 Reported Printed and Referred to State Affairs

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-16
AI generated