Law / United States / Maryland

SB 8 / Ch. 445 (2026), AI and Deepfake Identity Fraud

Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law §8-301(f)(2)

A citation is an address, not a summary. The first part names the law; what follows narrows it to the exact section, article or paragraph.

In force in 15 days, effective 1 October 2026.

An AI prohibited practices rule binding public and private bodies.

As of 6 September 2026.

What it requires

  • This law is enacted but does not take effect until October 1, 2026; what follows applies from that date.
  • Do not knowingly, willfully, and with fraudulent intent use artificial intelligence or a deepfake representation to impersonate, falsely depict, or claim to represent another person with intent to defraud, mislead, or cause physical injury, serious emotional distress, or economic damages to that person or anyone else.
  • A victim of this conduct may bring a civil action and seek an injunction and other appropriate relief.

If you get it wrong

Criminal exposureYes

Private right of actionYes

Criminal exposure note

A violation involving one victim is a felony punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000, or both; a violation involving two or more victims is a felony punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $15,000, or both.

What this law does

Drafted with AI from the cited sources under the direction of UnGovr staff. UnGovr holds editorial responsibility for this page.

Enacted May 12, 2026 as Chapter 445 and taking effect October 1, 2026, this law extends Maryland's identity-fraud statute to bar knowingly, willfully, and with fraudulent intent using artificial intelligence or a deepfake representation to impersonate, falsely depict, or claim to represent another person with intent to defraud, mislead, or cause harm. A victim of that conduct may bring a civil action and seek an injunction and other appropriate relief.

A first-tier violation involving one victim is a felony, and a violation involving two or more victims carries a higher penalty tier.

When LexLint raises it

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Read the law

official chapter law text, Maryland General Assembly

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