House Bill 426 Summary

• Establishes the "Freedom From AI-Rigged (FAIR) Elections Act" as Section 67-6628A in Idaho Code to regulate synthetic media in electioneering communications.

• Defines synthetic media as intentionally manipulated images, audio, or video created with generative adversarial networks that produces a realistic but false depiction that a reasonable person would understand differently than the original.

• Allows candidates whose appearance, action, or speech is altered through synthetic media in electioneering communications to seek injunctive relief and bring lawsuits for general and special damages against the sponsor, with court ability to award reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

• Provides an affirmative defense if the electioneering communication includes a prominent disclosure stating "This (image/video/audio) has been manipulated" with specific display requirements for visual media and audio-only content.

• Holds the sponsor of the electioneering communication liable rather than the disseminating medium, except when a medium removes required disclosures or changes content to qualify as synthetic media.