Official statements or press releases from Gavin Newsom

Christopher Kohls Sues California Over Anti-Deepfake Laws After Kamala Harris Parody Video

Sep 19, 2024, 06:55 AM

Christopher Kohls, the creator of a viral AI-altered parody video of Kamala Harris, has filed a lawsuit against the state of California to block newly enacted laws that ban political deepfakes. Kohls argues that his video, which gained significant attention including from Elon Musk, is protected under the First Amendment as parody. The lawsuit was filed shortly after Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills into law, which aim to curb the spread of AI-generated political misinformation through the Legislature. Kohls contends that the new law unfairly forces social media companies to censor content.