Texas Passed Law Banning Election Deep Fakes

A 2019 state statute prohibits the distribution of deceptive AI content within 30 days of an election.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a neoclassical building facade, evoking the institutional authority of Texas state election law. — Texas law makes distributing deceptive AI-generated content within 30 days of an election a criminal offense to protect electoral integrity. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Texas law establishes that distributing AI-generated deep fake videos with the intent to injure a candidate or influence election results within 30 days of an election is a criminal offense. State Representative Vikki Goodwin recently filed a criminal complaint alleging a video was AI-generated.

Why it matters

The law was enacted to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process by preventing candidates from being targeted by deceptive media. It highlights the ongoing struggle to regulate campaign technology as deep fake capabilities become more accessible.

The 2019 Texas statute enforces a criminal prohibition on deceptive deep fake media created to influence voter behavior within a 30-day election window. No specific technical parameters for detection software were defined in the original legislation.

The players

Vikki Goodwin

She is a member of the Texas House of Representatives who filed a criminal complaint regarding an alleged AI-generated video.

The details

Representative Vikki Goodwin filed a criminal complaint in Travis County after identifying a video she alleged was created using artificial intelligence. This action underscores the limitations of current state measures, especially after a 2025 bill requiring disclosure of altered media failed to pass the legislature.

Texas passed the law banning election-related deep fakes in 2019.
The 30-day window before an election marks the period when deep fake distribution is a criminal offense.
A bill requiring disclosure of altered media failed to pass during the 2025 legislative session.

The Tech Race

The 2019 Texas law set a regulatory precedent that predates the recent surge in sophisticated, widely available generative AI tools. While this statute creates a legal boundary, the failure of newer disclosure bills reflects a broader industry and legislative gap regarding digital transparency.

Voters in Texas are protected by this law from being misled by deceptive AI videos in the final month of an election cycle. The regulation holds campaigns accountable for the authenticity of their advertisements, potentially changing how political groups utilize new media tools.

The takeaway

As technology evolves, the reliance on older statutes presents challenges for modern election integrity enforcement. Voters should remain cautious of digital content during election seasons, as regulatory efforts continue to lag behind rapid advances in artificial intelligence.