Deepfakes Heatmap

Maryland SB 141 has cleared both chambers and is enrolled, with a stated effective date of June 1, 2026. The law would prohibit knowingly or recklessly creating or sharing election-context deepfakes that produce materially false election information, and gives the State Board of Elections tools to respond to credible reports of election misinformation. The Governor's signature was not visible in the cited record at the May 5, 2026 review — enrollment indicates passage by both chambers, not necessarily signed-into-law status.

• There is no enforceable Maryland rule today — the start date is June 1, 2026, and that date is what matters for enforcement. Whether the bill is signed, allowed to become law without signature, or vetoed before then is the operative question.
• The rule, when it takes effect, will be focused on elections — deepfakes that produce materially false election information. It does not establish a broad rule covering deepfakes involving minors, consumer fraud, or general intimate-image scenarios.
• When the rule becomes active, the State Board of Elections gets a defined response path for credible reports of election misinformation — that's the structural change.

• Confirm the bill's enacted-or-vetoed status on the Maryland General Assembly's SB 141 page, and check whether the cross-filed companion HB 0145 was separately enacted.
• If you're concerned about a deepfake outside an election context — in a social feed or directed at a private individual — Maryland SB 141 won't reach it. Federal protections and the platform's own policy are where to look today.