NEW CITY, N.Y.—The Rockland County Council unanimously passed a new local law aimed at combating the growing threat of artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, digital hoaxes that can imitate real people’s faces, voices, and gestures with stunning realism.
The Harmful Deepfakes Act makes it a crime to knowingly create or distribute deceptive digital media depicting an identifiable person without consent. This law covers the use of manipulated images, videos, and audio for the purposes of harassment, fraud, impersonation, and exploitation. Violators may be subject to fines or imprisonment, with harsher penalties for repeat or criminally motivated incidents.
“The rapid spread of manipulated video and audio not only distorts reality, but also puts reputation, safety and trust at risk,” said Rockland County Councilmember Dana Stilley, the bill’s sponsor. “When someone’s face or voice can be stolen with just a few clicks, we must take action. With this law, we will take a firm stand against the misuse of artificial intelligence and protect the rights and reputations of our residents at a time when truth and authenticity are increasingly under attack.”
The growth of deepfakes has accelerated dramatically in recent years, with the number expected to reach 8 million by 2025, up from an estimated 500,000 in 2023. Experts estimate that nearly 98 percent of deepfake videos are pornographic and disproportionately target women. AI-powered fraud and identity fraud are also on the rise, costing Americans more than $12 billion in 2023, and losses are expected to triple by 2027.
At a hearing on the measure, Stephanie Ovalles, Director of Immigration and Human Trafficking Services at the Center for Safety and Transformation, said the technology is reinforcing already alarming trends in domestic violence and sexual exploitation.
“Even before these advances occurred, we were seeing an increase in revenge porn cases in both family and criminal courts,” Ovales said. “Perpetrators now have the ability to coerce and control their victims without even having access to explicit content. Passing harmful deepfake laws will allow us to proactively protect women and children, who are statistically the most likely to become victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.”
Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh said his office has seen firsthand how digital manipulation can be devastating to victims.
“One of the biggest challenges we face is that artificial intelligence is advancing much faster than the law can keep up with,” Walsh said. “This gap allows predators to exploit new tools in ways that our legal frameworks cannot always address. The Deepfake Harm Act will help close that gap and protect the people we serve.”
Rockland Community College President Dr. William P. Malaney said the problem has become especially acute for students.
“Across the country, high school and college students have found their faces inserted into false and explicit images created by artificial intelligence,” Malaney said. “These are not harmless pranks, but acts of digital infringement that can cause harm to victims for years. This law makes clear that consent matters, even in a digital world.”
Although some state and federal laws address aspects of digital impersonation, many experts, including the U.S. Copyright Office, say existing protections do not fully address the harms of deepfakes.
Rockland County joins a growing number of local governments taking steps to combat the human costs of AI misuse by adopting a harmful deepfakes law.
“Deepfakes are digital lies that can destroy lives in seconds,” said Assembly Speaker Jay Hood, Jr. “When people aren’t sure what’s true, misinformation can spread faster and cause more lasting damage. This legislation gives us the tools to protect our residents and businesses, and I’m proud to have voted for it.”
