A manipulated video that mimics the voice of Vice President Kamala Harrissaying things she did not say is raising concerns about the power of artificial intelligence to mislead with Election Day about three months away.

The video gained attention after tech billionaire Elon Musk shared it on his social media platform X on Friday evening without explicitly noting it was originally released as parody.

The video uses many of the same visuals as a real ad that Harris, the likely Democratic president nominee, released last week launching her campaign. But the video swaps out the voice-over audio with another voice that convincingly impersonates Harris.

  • @dohpaz42
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    1 month ago

    That’s for sexual acts. I’m still reading it though, but where does elections come into play?

    Edit: found it. Section 2. Sorry.

    Sec. 2. [609.771] USE OF DEEP FAKE TECHNOLOGY TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION.

    Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the meanings given.

    (b) “Candidate” means an individual who seeks nomination or election to a federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, or local office including special districts, school districts, towns, home rule charter and statutory cities, and counties.

    © “Deep fake” means any video recording, motion-picture film, sound recording, electronic image, or photograph, or any technological representation of speech or conduct substantially derivative thereof:

    (1) that is so realistic that a reasonable person would believe it depicts speech or conduct of an individual who did not in fact engage in such speech or conduct; and

    (2) the production of which was substantially dependent upon technical means, rather than the ability of another individual to physically or verbally impersonate such individual.

    (d) “Depicted individual” means an individual in a deep fake who appears to be engaging in speech or conduct in which the individual did not engage.

    Subd. 2. Use of deep fake to influence an election; violation. A person who disseminates a deep fake or enters into a contract or other agreement to disseminate a deep fake is guilty of a crime and may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 3 if the person knows or reasonably should know that the item being disseminated is a deep fake and dissemination:

    (1) takes place within 90 days before an election;

    (2) is made without the consent of the depicted individual; and

    (3) is made with the intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election.

    Subd. 3. Use of deep fake to influence an election; penalty. A person convicted of violating subdivision 2 may be sentenced as follows:

    (1) if the person commits the violation within five years of one or more prior convictions under this section, to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both;

    (2) if the person commits the violation with the intent to cause violence or bodily harm, to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both; or

    (3) in other cases, to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or both.

    Subd. 4. Injunctive relief. A cause of action for injunctive relief may be maintained against any person who is reasonably believed to be about to violate or who is in the course of violating this section by:

    (1) the attorney general;

    (2) a county attorney or city attorney;

    (3) the depicted individual; or

    (4) a candidate for nomination or election to a public office who is injured or likely to be injured by dissemination.

    EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2023, and applies to crimes committed on or after that date.

    • @[email protected]
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      1 month ago

      So if Musk doesn’t delete his post before (let’s see) August 7, he is still arguably disseminating it and violating the law, huh?

      • @dohpaz42
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        71 month ago

        Just read through the part about punishment, and it’d be 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine. Even I could afford that. 🙄

        • @[email protected]
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          111 month ago

          It’s the jail time that’s important. I’d guess Musk would spend a billion dollars to not have to go to jail for 90 days.

    • @[email protected]
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      1 month ago

      Also we’re 100 days out. If Elon did this again within 90 days, and he sent the tweet from Texas or something. Would Minnesota or another state law be able to hold him accountable? Since of course the tweet would be seen across the country. I wonder what would happen. The senate is working on a federal law, but I doubt the house will be very cooperative before the election.