California deepfake laws: 3 enacted

• AB 1836 and AB 2602 (2024), Chapters 258 and 259: Use of likeness: digital replica; Contracts against public policy: digital replicasLikeness and voice, 2024

  AB 1836 requires estate consent before producing or distributing a realistic digital replica of a deceased personality in an audiovisual work or sound recording, with statutory damages of the greater of $10,000 or actual damages. The companion AB 2602 (Labor Code 927) makes a personal or professional services contract term unenforceable if it lets a digital replica replace work the person could have performed, unless the use is described with reasonable specificity and the person had legal counsel or union representation. Both signed September 17, 2024.

  Verified September 10, 2026 against the official statute.

• AB 2839 (2024): Elections: deceptive media in advertisementsElections, 2024

  Bans knowing, malicious distribution of materially deceptive audio or visual content about candidates, elections officials, and voting equipment within 120 days before an election (through 60 days after for officials and equipment), with civil injunctions and damages; it expands the earlier AB 730 (2019) framework, which covered only candidates within 60 days.

  Verified September 10, 2026 against the official statute.

• AB 602 (2019): Depiction of individual using digital or electronic technology: sexually explicit material: cause of actionIntimate imagery, 2019

  Adds Civil Code 1708.86, giving a depicted individual a private cause of action against anyone who creates and intentionally discloses sexually explicit digitally altered material without consent, or who intentionally discloses it knowing it was created without consent; allows injunctive relief, attorney's fees, and actual, statutory, or punitive damages.

  Verified September 10, 2026 against the official statute.

Part of the US Synthetic Media Law Atlas. Coverage is what could be verified against official statutes, not a claim to be exhaustive.