OLYMPIA— A bill addressing the use of synthetic media in campaigns was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee today. Synthetic media — also known as “deepfakes”— involves generating, manipulating, or altering data, particularly through the use of artificial intelligence and has become increasingly common in political campaigns, often with malicious intent. This practice can be used to mislead people or cause harm, and it has far-reaching consequences for our democracy. SB 5152, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-Seattle), addresses this issue head-on by requiring clear disclosure whenever manipulated media is used for election campaigns. This bill will ensure the safety and integrity of our elections in Washington state. According to the bill, the disclosure must be printed in at least the ...
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About Javier
Javier Valdez is the proud son and grandson of farmworkers and laborers. A product of public education, Javier holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in public administration from Baruch College, the City University of New York, as a participant in the National Urban Fellows program. Javier has worked for the City of Seattle for over 20 years, where he led Seattle City Light’s women and minority business (WMBE) program, served as a special assistant on WMBE programs in the Seattle Mayor’s Office, and currently as a senior equity and inclusion advisor with the City of Seattle Finance and Administrative Services Department.
Javier is vice chair of the State Government & Elections Committee and also serves on the Law & Justice and Transportation committees.
Read Javier’s full biography here.