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AI deepfake policy in Alabama

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Revision as of 08:34, 12 January 2026 by Janie Valentine (contribs)
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Ballotpedia's AI Deepfake Legislation Tracker

Deepfake policy in the U.S.
Select a state from the list below to read more about deepfake policy and legislation in that state.
Annual reports

20252024

Deepfakes are videos, images, or audio files that have been generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence in order to realistically portray something that did not actually occur. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, "Deepfakes rely on artificial neural networks, which are computer systems modeled loosely on the human brain that recognize patterns in data. Developing a deepfake photo or video typically involves feeding hundreds or thousands of images into the artificial neural network, ‘training’ it to identify and reconstruct patterns—usually faces."[1]

Public policy organizations, lawmakers, and journalists have expressed concerns related to the use of deepfake technology, including the proliferation of child sexual abuse material and other nonconsensual sexual content, the distribution of deceptive political communications and election disinformation, property rights infringement, harassment, fraud, and threats to national security.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Policy approaches vary as lawmakers and advocates balance concerns about deepfakes with First Amendment free speech considerations and beneficial uses of the technology.[9][10]

This page includes information about deepfake policy in Alabama.

  • As of January 9, 2026, Alabama was one of 28 states that had enacted laws related to deepfakes used in political communications, such as campaign advertisements.[11] In more than half of these states, the law applied to political materials distributed within a certain number of days before an election, and most included exceptions for materials containing a disclosure statement, with varying degrees of specificity regarding what that statement must say and how it must be presented.
  • Alabama was one of 46 states that had enacted laws concerning the creation or distribution of deepfakes that depict explicit sexual acts or other sensitive content. Some of these laws specifically addressed the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material, while others addressed the nonconsensual creation and distribution of adult intimate images. Eighteen states had passed laws addressing both.

To view laws enacted in Alabama since 2019, click here.

This page includes the following information about deepfake policy:

Deepfake legislation in Alabama

As legislatures across the country consider bills intended to address concerns about deepfake technology, Ballotpedia’s deepfake legislation tracker can help you follow the latest developments in all 50 states.

Enacted legislation

The table below displays bills related to deepfakes enacted in Alabama since 2019.[12]

Current legislation

The table below displays bills related to deepfakes introduced during or carried over to Alabama's current legislative session.[12]

National context: Deepfake laws in the United States

See also: Deepfake policy in the United States, 2019 - Present

Political communications

As of January 9, 2026, 28 states had enacted laws regulating deepfakes used in political communications, such as campaign advertisements.[11] In more than half of those states, the law applied to political materials distributed within a certain number of days before an election, and most included exceptions for materials containing a disclosure statement, with varying degrees of specificity regarding what that statement must say and how it must be presented.

As of January 9, 2026, three states with laws prohibiting deepfakes from being distributed a certain number of days before an election did not include an exception for materials containing a disclosure statement. Senior U.S. District Judge John Mendez blocked enforcement of California AB 2839 on October 2, 2024.

Pornographic materials

As of January 9, 2026, 46 states had enacted laws concerning the creation or distribution of deepfakes that depict explicit sexual acts or other sensitive content. Some of those laws specifically addressed the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material, while others addressed the nonconsensual creation and distribution of adult intimate images. Eighteen states had passed laws addressing both.

Ballotpedia's State of Deepfake Legislation 2025 Annual Report

Ballotpedia published our State of Deepfake Legislation 2025 Annual Report on July 22, 2025, one year after the launch of our Deepfake Legislation Tracker in June 2024. In this report, we provided an update on the status of state legislation intended to regulate deepfakes. To read the 2024 report, click here.

HIGHLIGHTS
As of July 10, 2025:
  • State lawmakers had adopted 64 laws related to deepfakes in 2025, up from the 52 laws enacted by the same date in 2024.
  • The most common topics for laws regulating deepfakes were those addressing sexually explicit material and those dealing with political communications. Other topics included bills regulating tech entities, prohibiting fraud, or addressing property rights.
  • From January to July 2025, the number of states that had enacted laws addressing sexually explicit deepfakes increased from 32 to 45. The number of states with laws regulating political deepfakes increased from 21 to 28.

  • See also

    Select a state on the map below to read more about deepfake policy and legislation in that state.

    https://ballotpedia.org/AI_deepfake_policy_in_STATE

    Footnotes