Gov. Newsom Signs Unconstitutional ‘Deepfake’ Bill Making Humor in California Illegal
‘A Communist totalitarian regime has zero tolerance for free speech’
By Katy Grimes, September 19, 2024 1:39 pm
California Governor Gavin Newsom just prohibited making political parodies.
Newsom signed three bills into law on Tuesday, putting severe limitations on the use of “deepfakes” and other digitally generated or altered content in political campaigns.
“Screw the 1st Amendment” Newsom said as he signed Assembly Bill 2655, authored by Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), Assembly Bill 2839, authored by Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz), and Assembly Bill 2355, authored by Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles).
Not really, but he was probably thinking that. (Am I going to be arrested for making a joke about Newsom?)
Almost immediately, The Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute (HLLI) filed a lawsuit on behalf of Christopher Kohls, known as “Mr. Reagan,” the creator fabulous satirical political videos, including one called out by Gov. Gavin Newsom as being “illegal” under the bills he signed on September 17, 2024.
What is the tyrannical egomaniac California governor thinking?
Newsom had such a problem with Musk’s retweeting a parody video created by “Mr. Reagan” (Kohls), he threatened him with legislation to make parody videos illegal.In the video, Kamala Harris calls herself “the ultimate diversity hire,” among other hilarious lines she actually said – “The significance of the passage of time…,” “The United States shares a very important alliance, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea. It is an alliance which is strong and enduring…”.
Elon Musk retweeted the video saying, “I checked with renowned world authority, Professor Suggon Deeznutz, and he said parody is legal in America.”
Gavin’s real problem with Elon Musk is that Musk left the state – he doesn’t appreciate Newsom’s highest-in-the-nation taxes, business killing regulations, or the governor’s lack of appreciation for Musk’s businesses.
Notably, the attorneys confirm that political parody is in fact protected by the First Amendment.
The HILLI attorneys detail the bills:
AB 2655 enlists social media companies to censor their users’ protected political speech that is created using Generative AI tools to spoof the likeness of political candidates running for office. It imposes a reporting and take-down regime on large online platforms like YouTube and X (where Kohls posts his content) for “deceptive content,” which goes into effect January 1.
AB 2839 goes into effect immediately and purports to ban all election communication that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to portray candidates for office as “doing or saying something that the candidate did not do or say.” While the title of the bill refers to “advertisements,” in fact it covers all “election communication,” including political and satire, which are protected under core First Amendment principles.
AB 2839 contains no exception for satire and parody—the legislature removed this exception in coordination with Newsom’s office, and replaced them with a labelling requirement that would require a disclaimer so large it could not even fit on Kohls videos.
Ouch.
“The lawsuit seeks a judgment that the bills are unconstitutional and an injunction preventing its enforcement, so that Mr. Kohls may be able to share his content without fear of censorship or legal retaliation,” Kohl’s attorneys say.
As funny as the parodies are, this is a very serious issue – Newsom really does want to take away freedom of speech and punish people for thoughts he disagrees with, as well as opposing political ideology.
“Because the bills use undefined and vague statutory language, they grant California broad discretion to determine what constitutes impermissible ‘materially deceptive,’ the HILLI attorneys said. “This creates a chilling effect on free speech, particularly for political commentators like Kohls, who use satire to critique public figures, and rely on social media viewership for their livelihood. Mr. Kohls’ satire videos, which have garnered millions of views, are precisely the kind of speech that the First Amendment was designed to protect. AB 2655 and AB 2839 undermine the democratic processes it purports to safeguard.”
“This is a Communist speaking!” Xi Van Fleet tweeted. “A Communist totalitarian regime has zero tolerance for free speech.”
She ought to know – as her X bio says, “Chinese by birth; American by choice. Survivor of Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Defender of liberty.”And she wrote the book on Mao’s America.
Sure, Katy made a joke, but Newsom might as well have really said “screw the First Amendment!”
The Kamala ad is a brilliant piece of work. Hilarious. Satisfying. Deadly accurate about who she really is.
Unbelievable. Laughing, appreciation, and psychic relief are FORBIDDEN under Chairman Newsom now. If he gets his way, which he WILL NOT.
Don’t comply! Never give an inch to totalitarian dictators. Those who did give in years ago learned a very harsh lesson when they did. These things escalate!
You’re right.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Cue a bazillion ‘deepfakes’ (nominally made outside of California) featuring Gavin Noisome as $Horrible_Historical_Dictator.
You can’t stop the signal.
It finally dawned on me this morning that, because Newsom actually desires a 2024 Kamala loss, which (he thinks) will set him up nicely for a 2028 Prez run, on the one hand he may have pushed and signed anti-deepfake legislation in order to LOOK like he is protecting and backing Kamala, when actually his secret hope is to help doom her candidacy by making these BRILLIANT ads go even more “viral.”
Sure, Newsom is a jerk but he’s not stupid and he knows as well as any of us do about the so-called “Streisand Effect,” the phenomenon where we get MORE, not LESS, of certain prohibited activities because of the massive attention they receive from the publicity of the verboten activity.
Of course he may be regretting signing the legislation now because of the viral parody ad about HIM.
If this sounds farfetched just remember what a SNAKE Newsom is.
Notice how all of the fake news stories criticizing the Kamala parody video don’t show the video or give any links to watch it! God forbid people be allowed to see it and have their own opinion. And then the fake news talks about how they need more control to block such videos and prosecute anyone who makes them! They’re basically admitting they want complete control and are communist / Marxist / fascist!
When I first heard about this bill and Grewsom’s signing it, I thought it was a joke. It couldn’t be real, but it is. California’s despicable ruling class has now reached the level of being a parody of itself. Shouldn’t the grease gov be arrested for being the living joke that he is? No wonder thinking people are leaving the state every day.
I mean Newsom answers to China. So he wants to appease Xi.
Without free speech, you don’t have democracy.