Ohio Lawmakers Amend Bill to Address Deepfake Spread

• •Ohio's House Bill 185 is being amended to better address deepfake dissemination.
• •The bill protects individuals who unknowingly share deepfakes from heavy penalties.
• •Internet providers will be treated as channels for deepfake transmission under the new amendments.

Ohio lawmakers are revising House Bill 185 to combat the dissemination of deepfakes, which are manipulated images or videos misrepresenting individuals without consent. An amendment introduced ensures that individuals sharing deepfakes unknowingly are not subjected to severe penalties. The bill aims to target those who knowingly spread false content. Additionally, the amendment classifies internet providers as conduits for deepfakes, similar to traditional media transmission methods. The changes were accepted following discussions with interested parties, and the bill is still under consideration in the House committee.