Bill Overview
Title: Deepfake Task Force Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to temporarily establish the National Deepfake Provenance Task Force. Comprised of federal and nonfederal stakeholders, the task force must address threats posed by digital content forgeries (i.e., digital audio, images, and text fabricated or manipulated using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other emerging technologies with the intent to mislead). The task force's activities include developing a plan to reduce the proliferation of digital content forgeries. The task force terminates 90 days after submitting its final report.
Sponsors: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH]
Target Audience
Population: People impacted by deepfake technologies globally
Estimated Size: 330000000
- The bill focuses on addressing threats posed by digital content forgeries, such as deepfakes.
- Individuals and organizations who produce digital content may be directly impacted as new guidelines or standards could be established.
- The general population could be impacted as deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation, affecting public perception and decision-making.
- Actors, media personalities, and public figures may be notably affected because deepfakes can manipulate their appearance or speech without consent, potentially damaging reputations.
- The cybersecurity sector and technology developers working on AI and machine learning may experience changes in how they must manage and secure digital content.
- Audience and consumers of digital content may be indirectly affected through changes in policy or content consumption practices.
- Legal and law enforcement communities may adapt to new frameworks for the prosecution or prevention of deepfake-related crimes.
Reasoning
- The Deepfake Task Force Act has a relatively low budget for national implementation considering the severity of the deepfake threat; however, it aims to leverage federal and nonfederal partnerships, which could expand its reach.
- The task force is likely to primarily engage those who produce or manage digital content, meaning artists, IT professionals, and media companies.
- Most of the general public may not notice direct impacts unless they consume deepfake content regularly or if new standards alter their media consumption or online interactions.
- Certain groups, like content creators and celebrities, have heightened stakes due to potential misuse of their likeness, making them highly invested in outcomes.
- On the technology side, developers working with AI must adjust to new standards, which can also foster innovation in security measures against deepfakes.
- Law enforcement and legal entities would anticipate adapting to any new legal definitions or prosecution techniques for misuse of deepfake technologies.
Simulated Interviews
Conflict Journalist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy's focus on combating deepfakes is important for maintaining integrity in journalism.
- Misinformation through deepfakes can have serious consequences on conflict zones reporting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Digital Forensics Expert (New York, NY)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act could standardize deepfake verification, aiding forensic processes.
- I'm concerned about the limited budget which might restrict thorough implementations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
AI Developer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 27 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The task force could result in more ethical AI usage which aligns with my values.
- Worried about potential limitations on innovation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired Teacher (Orlando, FL)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Important step towards combating misinformation, but will this actually reach everyday users like myself?
- Skeptical about real change due to budget constraints.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
University Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative is crucial for protecting media integrity in political discourse.
- Hopeful it will lead to more accurate political content online.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Corporate Lawyer (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The financial and legal risks associated with deepfakes are substantial.
- The task force could streamline how the judicial system handles these cases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Cybersecurity Analyst (Seattle, WA)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Deepfake security is integral to preventing corporate fraud.
- It's unclear if the task force's scope will affect day-to-day cybersecurity practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Influencer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Fragile digital reputations need protection from deepfake exploits.
- I fear policy changes could impose restrictions on digital content creation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
Public School Teacher (Denver, CO)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Educational resources need to address deepfake awareness for safer media consumption.
- Hope the task force includes educators' perspectives.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Media Analyst (Portland, OR)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The task force could guide media integrity standards and practices.
- Wary of possible impacts on content freedom and authenticity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The task force is temporary, so funding needs to be carefully allocated to ensure its mission objectives are met within a short timeframe.
- Collaboration between federal and non-federal entities can introduce complexities in coordination and data sharing.
- The rapidly evolving nature of AI means that ongoing surveillance and updates to strategies may be required beyond the task force's tenure.