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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
07/26/2024 06:23 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20230&chamber=H&cosponId=42972
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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: July 10, 2024 03:29 PM
From: Representative Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz
To: All House members
Subject: Requiring the Use of Watermarks on AI Generated Photos and Videos
 
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a concern for not just adults, but our middle and high school students. AI technology can easily be misused, and explicit images of another individual can be created without their consent. These images are referred to as “deepfakes” and can be used to harass and bully students.   
 
Due to the concern of the ease of creating explicit deepfakes without consent, students at Wilson West Middle School in Berks County approached me and asked for a change to the law and protections be provided. Their goal is to keep their school a safe space for learning and proactively reducing the harm on a student’s mental wellbeing.
 
I agree that no one should be able to misuse AI and I will be introducing legislation to require artificial intelligence generated media to contain watermarks, as these students have requested. By requiring watermarks on at least 30% of the image or video, watermarks become difficult to remove and therefore an AI generated image or video is easier to spot.
 
No one should have to fear that fake explicit images of them would be shared online, including ones created by artificial intelligence. With access to AI growing and the abilities of AI improving, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between a real image and artificial intelligence. It is time to recognize AI’s potential to cause harm through misuse and require the use of watermarks.
 
Please join me in protecting not only our students, like those at Wilson West Middle School, but also holding those who use artificial intelligence accountable. AI can be an important tool, but it can also be a dangerous weapon. Because of this, we must start requiring watermarks on AI generated material.