Indy Standard

Gov. Eric Holcomb ceremonially signed into law legislation authored by State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) aimed at addressing misleading political advertisements. The event took place on Thursday, marking a significant step in protecting Indiana's elections from deceptive practices facilitated by artificial intelligence.

House Enrolled Act 1133, authored by Olthoff, mandates disclaimers on fabricated political ads to enhance transparency and safeguard voters. The law targets AI-generated or digitally altered media that can mislead the electorate.

"With advancements in AI, not all fabricated ads are easy to spot," Olthoff stated. "These disclaimers will protect Hoosier voters from the dangers of being misled and promote transparency in the election process."

The law, effective since early spring, allows for civil action against those responsible for funding or sponsoring fake content lacking a disclaimer. This includes AI-generated or digitally altered audio, video, or images of candidates used without their consent in campaign communications.

For more information on House Enrolled Act 1133, visit iga.in.gov.

State Rep. Julie Olthoff represents House District 19, which includes portions of Lake and Porter counties.