Law / United States / Pennsylvania
Act 35 of 2025, digital forgery
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 since 5 September 2025.
An AI prohibited practices rule binding public and private bodies.
As of 6 September 2026.
What it requires
- Do not generate or create and distribute, with intent to defraud or injure anyone, a forged digital likeness (an AI-generated or otherwise computer-generated visual representation or audio recording of a real, identifiable person that closely resembles a genuine one, materially misrepresents that person, and is likely to deceive a reasonable person) as genuine.
- Taking reasonable action to notify viewers or listeners that the forged digital likeness is not genuine is an affirmative defense.
- This section does not reach a provider or developer of the underlying technology, an information service or access software provider, a law enforcement officer's official duties, or a constitutionally protected activity.
If you get it wrong
Criminal exposureYes
Criminal exposure note
A misdemeanor of the first degree in the base case; a felony of the third degree where the violation involves a scheme to defraud, coerce, or commit theft of monetary assets or property.
What it reaches
Obligation class
Prohibition
What this law does
Drafted with AI from the cited sources under the direction of UnGovr staff. UnGovr holds editorial responsibility for this page.
A person is guilty of digital forgery if, with intent to defraud or injure anyone, the person generates or creates and distributes a forged digital likeness as genuine, knowing or reasonably knowing it to be a forged digital likeness.
A forged digital likeness is a computer-generated visual representation or audio recording of an actual, identifiable individual that has been created or modified to closely resemble a genuine representation, materially misrepresents the individual's appearance, speech, or behavior, is likely to deceive a reasonable person into believing it is genuine, and is created and distributed without the individual's consent.
It is an affirmative defense that the actor took reasonable action to notify viewers or listeners that the forged digital likeness was not genuine, and the section does not reach a constitutionally protected activity, a law enforcement officer's official duties, a provider or developer of the underlying technology, or an information service or access software provider. Act 35 of 2025, signed July 7, 2025, added this section, effective 60 days after signature.
When LexLint raises it
generates_contentprocesses_voice
Read the law
official text, Pennsylvania General Assembly consolidated statutes (palegis.us)