California Deepfake Pornography Expansion (AB 621)
Effective date
Penalty
Up to $250,000 for malicious violations. Statutory damages available. Private right of action.
Obligations mapped
Tracked
Overview
Expands civil remedies for non-consensual deepfake pornography. Broadens definitions, adds liability for deepfake pornography service operators, and provides up to $250,000 for malicious violations. Minors cannot consent to creation or distribution.
This is an AI-specific state law.
See if this regulation applies to your company with the free exposure scan.
Who this applies to
This regulation applies to the following roles:
- Developers of covered AI systems
- Deployers and users of covered AI systems
- Organizations operating in California
This regulation applies to both companies that build AI products and companies that use AI tools from other vendors.
AB 621
AI categories covered
- Consumer-facing AI
- General purpose AI
Specific AI use cases:
- Content generation
- synthetic media manipulation
- voice likeness synthesis
- political synthetic media
What this requires you to do
Detailed obligation packs are not yet mapped for this entry in XIRA. Obligation areas from the catalog are listed below.
What this requires you to do
Prohibited practices
Avoid conduct the statute bans, including harmful manipulation and intentional discrimination.
Consent required
Obtain consent. Get explicit permission from individuals before collecting or using their data with AI.
Regulation summaries are simplified for readability and may not capture every nuance of the underlying statute. Verify important details against primary sources linked on this page.
Enforcement and penalties
Up to $250,000 for malicious violations. Statutory damages available. Private right of action.
Private right of action: plaintiffs may bring direct claims in addition to government enforcement.
Penalty amounts are based on statutory text and may be subject to adjustment, judicial interpretation, or enforcement discretion.
Legislative history
effective
Takes effect
Related regulations
- In EffectAI-Specific
California Non-Consensual Deepfake Pornography (SB 926)
Criminalizes creation and distribution of realistic deepfake intimate images without consent, if the creator or distributor knew or should have known it would cause serious emotional distress. Applies to AI-generated content.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California Social Media Deepfake Reporting (SB 981)
Requires social media platforms to provide a mechanism for users to report sexually explicit digital identity theft including deepfakes. Platforms must immediately remove content upon report where reasonable basis exists.
Effective
- In EffectFederal
TAKE IT DOWN Act (S. 146)
Requires covered online platforms to remove reported nonconsensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes, within a short deadline after a valid notice. Dual effective dates: criminal provisions effective May 19, 2025 (date signed into law). Platform compliance deadline: May 19, 2026 (one year after signing). First federal law limiting the use of AI in ways harmful to individuals. Covers both authentic NCII and AI-generated deepfakes. Does not preempt state laws. FTC jurisdiction extended to nonprofit entities. First and only enacted federal AI-specific law signed by the Trump administration. Bipartisan 409-2 House vote, unanimous Senate passage.
Effective
- UpcomingAI-Specific
California AI Transparency Act (SB 942)
The California AI Transparency Act requires creators of large generative AI systems to provide free AI detection tools, embed provenance metadata in AI-generated content, and offer visible disclosure options. Large platforms must detect and preserve provenance data.
Effective
- UpcomingPrivacy ADM
CCPA/CPRA Automated Decision-Making Technology Regulations
California's ADMT regulations require businesses using automated decisionmaking technology for significant decisions (employment, finance, housing, education, healthcare) to provide pre-use notices, offer opt-out rights, respond to access requests, and conduct risk assessments with annual CPPA filing under penalty of perjury.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California Transparency in Frontier AI Act (SB 53)
Requires developers of frontier AI models trained above the statutory compute threshold (10^26 FLOPs) to publish safety frameworks, report critical safety incidents to the Office of Emergency Services, and implement whistleblower protections. Also reaches large frontier developers with annual revenues over $500 million. Replaces the vetoed SB 1047 with a narrower transparency approach. Currently applies to approximately five to eight companies worldwide given the FLOP threshold. Includes a federal deference provision: compliance with comparable federal standards, including the EU AI Act, is accepted where the statute allows.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California AI Training Data Transparency Act (AB 2013)
Requires developers of generative AI systems or services available to Californians to publish high-level documentation on training data, including sources, types, and curation. Applies retroactively to systems released on or after January 1, 2022. No trade secret exemption. Internal development or material modification of third-party GenAI can be in scope. xAI challenged the law in federal court; on March 4, 2026 the court denied a preliminary injunction, so AB 2013 remains in full effect while litigation continues. Major providers published required documentation by January 1, 2026.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California Healthcare Provider Generative AI Disclosure (AB 3030)
Requires healthcare providers to disclose when generative AI is used in patient interactions and to document that use in the patient record. Focuses on licensed providers and clinical settings. AB 489 (2025) later extended parallel transparency duties to developers and deployers of healthcare AI, not only providers.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California Healthcare AI Deceptive Terms Act (AB 489)
AB 3030 (2024) requires healthcare providers to disclose generative AI use to patients and in records. AB 489 (2025) extends similar duties to technology developers and deployers whose healthcare AI communicates with patients or presents as credentialed care. It bars false claims of professional licenses or credentials and requires clear disclosures in healthcare settings.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California FEHA regulations on automated decision systems (Civil Rights Council)
California Civil Rights Council regulations apply FEHA's anti-discrimination framework to automated decision systems (ADS) in employment. Defines ADS broadly to include AI, ML, and algorithmic tools. Makes anti-bias testing evidence relevant to discrimination claims and defenses. Requires reasonable accommodation when ADS disadvantages disabled or religious individuals. Prohibits pre-offer medical inquiries via ADS. Employers with 5+ employees are covered. 4-year record retention required.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California Companion Chatbots Act (SB 243)
California's Companion Chatbot Act may apply to operators of AI chatbots designed for ongoing social interaction. Where applicable, operators may need to disclose the AI nature of the chatbot, maintain safety protocols for self-harm and suicide content, provide crisis referrals, and implement special protections for minors including break reminders and content restrictions. Operators may need to publish safety protocols and file annual reports with the Office of Suicide Prevention starting July 2027.
Effective
- In EffectAI-Specific
California Digital Replicas of Deceased Performers Act (AB 1836)
Restricts commercial uses of realistic AI-generated replicas of deceased performers' voices or likenesses in audiovisual works and sound recordings without consent from the personality's estate or other rightsholder.
Effective
California AI regulation guide lists every tracked rule for this jurisdiction with timelines and obligation tallies.
Regulation summaries are simplified for readability and may not capture every nuance of the underlying statute. Verify important details against primary sources linked on this page.