Elon Musk’s social media platform X has filed a lawsuit challenging a new California law aimed at combating the spread of AI-generated deceptive election content, arguing the measure infringes on free speech rights, Bloomberg reports.
The complaint, filed late Thursday in Sacramento federal court, contends that Assembly Bill 2655, also known as the “Defending Democracy From Deepfake Deception Act of 2024,” will result in excessive censorship of political speech.
The lawsuit alleges that the law, which mandates the removal of content deemed “materially deceptive” by large online platforms, sets a dangerously low bar for content moderation and will inevitably lead to the suppression of legitimate political commentary. X’s legal team points to a long history of robust First Amendment protections for speech criticizing government officials and candidates, even if that speech contains inaccuracies.
The 65-page complaint argues that the vague language of the law leaves platforms vulnerable to arbitrary enforcement and chilling effects on free expression. This action follows a recent temporary injunction granted by a California federal judge blocking a related measure that prohibits deceptive, digitally altered campaign ads that could harm a candidate’s reputation or electoral prospects. Both measures, along with a third, were signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September.
