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<ns0:Id>20250SB__105099INT</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-12</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Ashby</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Ashby</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to add Article 10 (commencing with Section 17610) to Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to consumer protection. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>consumer protection</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>False advertising: synthetic digital performers.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person or a firm, corporation, or association, or any employee thereof, to engage in false or misleading advertising practices. Existing law makes various unfair competition practices unlawful, including any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business act or practice and unfair, deceptive, untrue, or misleading advertising. </html:p>
<html:p>This bill would make it an unlawful advertising practice for a person, in connection with the creation or dissemination of an advertisement in this state, to use or cause to be used a synthetic performer without a clear and conspicuous disclosure that the performer is synthetic. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.</html:p>
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<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
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<html:p>
(1)
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Consumers have a substantial interest in knowing when an advertisement uses a synthetic digital performer in a manner that could reasonably be interpreted as a human performance.
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(2)
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Requiring a factual disclosure regarding the use of a synthetic performer is necessary to prevent deceptive or misleading advertising practices.
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<html:p>
(b)
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It is the intent of the Legislature that the disclosure required by this act is a purely factual commercial disclosure consistent with constitutional protections for commercial
speech.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Article 10 (commencing with Section 17610) is added to Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 7 of the
<ns0:DocName>Business and Professions Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
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<ns0:LawHeading type="ARTICLE" id="id_B8C9E743-7C5E-49E4-806F-32387AD37707">
<ns0:Num>10.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:LawHeadingText>Synthetic Performers</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:Num>17610.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
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<html:p>
(1)
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“Advertisement” means any message, statement, audiovisual recording, digital communication, or other representation disseminated in any manner or by any means, including through online platforms, that is intended to induce, or that is reasonably expected to induce, the purchase of goods or services, as described in Section 17500.
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<html:p>
(2)
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“Clear and conspicuous disclosure” means a disclosure that is difficult to miss, easily understandable, and presented in a manner that a reasonable consumer would notice, read, and comprehend, taking into account the medium, format, and context in which the advertisement
appears.
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<html:p>
(3)
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“Synthetic performer” means a human-like digital figure, voice, or representation created in whole or in part using artificial intelligence, machine learning, or computational techniques, and not based on, derived from, or intended to depict any particular identifiable natural person as described in Section 3344 of the Civil Code.
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<html:p>
(b)
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It is unlawful for any person, in connection with the creation or dissemination of an advertisement in this state, to use or cause to be used a synthetic performer without a clear and conspicuous disclosure that the performer is synthetic.
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(c)
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A disclosure required by this section shall, at a minimum, satisfy all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
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Appear in close proximity to the synthetic performer.
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<html:p>
(2)
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Be presented in a manner and duration sufficient for a reasonable consumer to understand that the performer is not a real human being.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
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Use wording substantially similar to “this performance features a synthetic digital performer,” or “no human performer is depicted.”
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
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Nothing in this section shall be construed to do any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
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Restrict or prohibit the creation, distribution, or exhibition of synthetic content.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Regulate the expressive or informational content of an advertisement, except to require the factual disclosure described in subdivision (b).
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<html:p>
(3)
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Affect or limit any rights or remedies
available under Section 17200 or 17500 or any other law concerning deceptive, unfair, or misleading business practices.
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<html:p>
(4)
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Apply to advertisements for expressive works, including, but not limited to, motion pictures, television programs, streaming content, documentaries, video games, or other similar audiovisual works, provided that the use of a synthetic performer in the advertisement or promotional material is consistent with its use in the expressive work.
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<html:p>
(e)
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A violation of this section constitutes a violation of Section 17500 and may be enforced pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 17200) of Part 2.
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<html:p>
(f)
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The requirements of this section are severable. If any provision or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without
the invalid provision or application.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII
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B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII
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B of the California Constitution.
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