Deepfake ai example: phil murphy riding a dead whale through an offshore wind farm. Ai generated / grok
Deepfake AI Example: Phil Murphy riding a dead whale through an offshore wind farm. AI Generated / Grok

Murphy Rejects Unanimous Bi-Partisan Deepfake Bill, Citing First Amendment Concerns

Posted by
1 min read
March 17, 2025

TRENTON, N.J. — They say a blind squirrel can eventually find a nut. Today seems to be that day.

Gov. Phil Murphy has conditionally vetoed a bipartisan bill aimed at criminalizing the creation and distribution of deceptive deepfake media, calling for revisions to strengthen its legal foundation and address potential First Amendment challenges.

The Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 3540 passed the state Senate unanimously, 37-0, with three abstentions. It proposed new criminal and civil penalties for individuals who produce or share deepfake content without clearly identifying it as manipulated. The bill also sought to hold media organizations accountable if they knowingly published deceptive deepfake material.

Murphy acknowledged the dangers of deepfake technology but expressed concerns about the bill’s wording and its ability to withstand constitutional scrutiny. “We must ensure the language of the bill is sufficiently precise to combat fraudulent, deceptive, or exploitative uses of deepfakes without running afoul of constitutional precept,” Murphy wrote in his veto message.

His proposed amendments include explicitly stating the bill’s intent, refining the legal definitions of deepfake-related offenses, and clarifying exemptions for satire, parody, journalism, and research.

He also recommended additional protections for victims and penalties for using deepfakes to commit crimes.

The bill now returns to the legislature for reconsideration, setting up a potential debate over free speech protections and the need for stricter regulations on AI-generated media.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Breaking News

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version