To the Representatives of the New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly

We urge you to pass Assembly Bill A3585 and its identical companion, Senate Bill S2129. This critical legislation will safeguard our election integrity by criminalizing the malicious dissemination of altered audio or visual media within 90 days of an election.

According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 52% of Americans struggle to identify fact from fiction when encountering political news. This impediment is only accelerated through the widespread use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is an emerging technology rapidly reshaping the political campaigning landscape. Our laws must keep pace to ensure every voter enters the polling booth accurately informed.

Without these safeguards, deepfakes and targeted misinformation threaten every New Jerseyan's right to a secure, transparent, and accessible ballot box.

A criminal ban and similar protective frameworks have already been enacted by 31 other states. These laws serve as a imperative deterrent, dissuading potential violators by imposing initial fines and/or jail sentences.

Most importantly, this legislation ultimately gives power to the people it seeks to protect. Your constituents and political candidates can actively impede deception through personally filing immediate court injunctions.  New Jersyans can take action, and correct a digital injustice before it impacts an election.

It is imperative that you pass A3585 and S2129. With unchecked technology only further developing, New Jersey stands at a precipice. The manipulating tools already exist. We need to create political legislation to stop their harmful effect on elections. We need to join other states to protect the truth. We need to finally take action. Pass Assembly Bill A3585 and Senate Bill S2129 today to help ensure every vote counts. Thank you for your time.