Washington State Criminalizes Forged Digital Likenesses in New AI Deepfake Law

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The Washington State Legislature has passed a new law against AI-generated impersonation, expanding personality rights protections to combat deepfakes used for misinformation and reputational damage.

Governor of Washington Bob Ferguson signed Substitute Senate Bill 5886 into law earlier this month, updating the state’s personality rights framework. These rules already provide protections for an individual’s name, voice, and photograph. However, the new legislation expands on these by introducing protections against “forged digital likeness.”

This includes AI-generated or manipulated audio or visual content and effectively criminalizes the use of deepfakes without consent, particularly where they could mislead others or cause harm.

As deepfakes become more accessible and more convincing, the change is intended to give individuals clearer legal grounds to act if their identity is mimicked using AI without their permission.

The bill was introduced by State Senator Matt Boehnke, who cited the rapid development of generative AI tools. While they have legitimate uses, deepfakes have been widely used in scams, misinformation, and abuse.

Washington courts will also be able to issue injunctions to halt the use of unauthorized AI-generated content, as well as impose higher financial penalties for offenders.

The new rules will take effect on June 10, 2026.