Digital Readiness · Deepfakes

Where the law has caught up — and where it hasn't.

Every U.S. state, mapped against the topics moving fastest at the legislature. Click any state for the law and where enforcement actually stands.

Deepfakes

New Jersey

Specific rule in effect.Trending toward more guardrails.

Effective 2025-04-02 · 2 April 2025Next review by 2026-08-06 · 6 August 2026

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Sources

pub.njleg.govNew Jersey P.L.2025, c.40 — deceptive audio or visual media deepfakes

Why this status

New Jersey P.L. 2025, c. 40 was approved on April 2, 2025 and took effect immediately. The law creates a criminal offense for producing or sharing deceptive audio or visual deepfakes when the purpose is to commit or assist in another crime — including harassment, cyber-harassment, child endangerment, or fraud. Victims can also bring a civil lawsuit for damages.

What this means

New Jersey's rule reaches further than most — it isn't limited to elections. It applies anywhere a deepfake is created or shared in furtherance of another crime.
Victims have a parallel civil path — they can sue for damages directly, separate from any criminal prosecution. That makes it a useful rule for families when a deepfake involves a minor.
Carve-outs are the usual ones: satire, parody, news reporting, teaching, and content a reasonable person wouldn't believe is real are exempt. Platform providers and carriers generally aren't held liable for hosting or distributing covered content.

What to verify next

Read P.L. 2025, c. 40 on the New Jersey Legislature's site for the exact list of underlying crimes the deepfake provision attaches to.
If you're looking at a specific deepfake involving your child, the New Jersey civil-court path is what the statute writes — a New Jersey family-law or civil-rights attorney can shape a damages or injunctive request.

How this was scored →

Public-source posture estimateNot legal adviceMap regenerated2026-05-08 · 8 May 2026