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Bill

HB 184

Criminal Law - Identity Fraud - Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Representations

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Cheryl Pasteur

Maryland HB 184 criminalizes non-consensual creation and distribution of AI-generated deepfake representations used for identity fraud and illegal impersonation.

Hearing 2/03 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · HB 184

Legislative bill overview

HB 184 proposes to amend Maryland's criminal law to address identity fraud committed through artificial intelligence and deepfake technology. The bill would establish legal definitions and penalties for creating or distributing AI-generated representations of individuals without consent, particularly for fraudulent purposes. This represents an attempt to modernize identity fraud statutes to address emerging technologies not contemplated in existing law.

Why is this important

Deepfakes and AI-generated content can facilitate sophisticated identity theft, financial fraud, and reputational harm at scale and with minimal technical barriers. Current identity fraud laws were written before this technology existed and may not adequately address how AI allows criminals to impersonate others convincingly. As this technology becomes more accessible, clarifying legal consequences and enforcement mechanisms becomes increasingly urgent for consumer protection.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition precision: Determining where the line falls between illegal deepfakes and protected speech (satire, commentary, artistic works) could be legally complex and raise First Amendment concerns
  • Consent and intent standards: Questions about what constitutes valid "consent," whether intent to defraud must be proven, and how to handle non-malicious uses of AI representations
  • Enforcement challenges: Technical difficulty in detecting and proving origin of AI-generated content, and determining appropriate penalties proportional to traditional identity fraud statutes

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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