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Bill

S 32

Resolve relative to digital impersonation and exploitation

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Julian Cyr

Massachusetts bill establishing legal remedies and penalties for unauthorized digital impersonation, deepfakes, and exploitation of personal identity without consent.

Accompanied a study order, see S2634
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Bill Summary · S 32

Legislative bill overview

S 32 addresses digital impersonation and exploitation by creating legal frameworks to combat unauthorized use of someone's identity, likeness, or personal information online. The bill seeks to establish penalties and remedies for individuals or entities that digitally impersonate others or exploit their identities without consent, particularly in contexts involving deepfakes, fake accounts, and fraudulent representation.

Why is this important

Digital impersonation has become increasingly prevalent as technology enables realistic fakes and unauthorized account creation, causing reputational damage, financial fraud, and emotional harm to victims. Current Massachusetts law has gaps in addressing these emerging harms, making this legislation necessary to provide clear legal recourse and deterrence for victims of digital exploitation while the technology continues to advance rapidly.

Potential points of contention

  • Definitional challenges: Determining what constitutes impersonation versus parody, satire, or legitimate criticism—overly broad definitions could chill protected speech
  • Deepfake complexity: Balancing regulation of synthetic media (AI-generated content) against free expression rights and the difficulty of distinguishing harmful from benign uses
  • Enforcement burden: Questions about who investigates violations, how to identify anonymous perpetrators, and whether penalties are practical and proportional to harms caused
  • Civil vs. criminal liability: Disagreement over whether violations should result in criminal charges, civil suits, or both, and appropriate penalty levels

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

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