Spencer Pratt vs. California's Deepfake Rules

Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star, is running for mayor of Los Angeles. He has been sharing AI-made videos on social media that show him as a hero and Mayor Karen Bass as a villain — like Batman versus the Joker. Some California lawmakers say these videos may break state laws that require labels on fake political content. With the June 2 primary election coming up fast, the debate is growing.

Two California lawmakers — Assemblymember Marc Berman and former Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo — say Pratt's posts could break laws they each helped write. Those laws say that certain AI-made campaign videos must include clear labels telling voters the content is not real. Pratt has shared many of these videos on the social media site X, often without any label at all. The lawmakers believe this could mislead voters right before an important election.

Carrillo said she was shocked when she saw the videos online. 'I was appalled by the videos and the audacity,' she told POLITICO. 'Didn't I write a law about this?' Her law, passed in 2024, requires labels on AI-made election ads. Berman wrote a similar law back in 2019.

Mayor Bass has also spoken out about the posts. She told a CNN reporter that the AI videos are 'a very dangerous trend.' One video shows people throwing tomatoes at her and other California Democrats. Bass worries that hateful content online could push unstable people toward real-life violence.

Pratt is a registered Republican, though he says his campaign is nonpartisan. Many of the AI videos he shared were made by a filmmaker named Charles Curran, not by Pratt's team. Because of this, some people argue Pratt may not be directly responsible for the content. His campaign has not answered questions about whether it was involved in making the videos.

Berman's law is called AB 730, and it focuses on videos or images that could trick voters or hurt a candidate's reputation. It requires a label saying content 'has been manipulated' if posted within 60 days of an election. Berman said a Batman-themed video of Pratt is probably fine because it is clearly a joke. But he said a video showing an AI version of Bass celebrating while wildfires burn in Los Angeles could seem real to some voters.

Not everyone agrees these laws apply to Pratt's situation. John Bennett, who leads a nonprofit called the California Institute for Technology and Democracy, said it is hard to hold Pratt responsible if the filmmaker is acting alone. Some free speech supporters also argue that posting funny or critical videos about politicians is protected by the First Amendment. This makes the legal question harder to answer.

Pratt is not the only candidate using AI content in this election season. Democrat Patrick Wolff used AI images in a campaign ad but included a label disclosing AI use. Governor Gavin Newsom's office has also used AI images to mock President Trump online. This shows the issue of AI in politics goes beyond just one candidate.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission is the state agency in charge of enforcing AI labeling rules. It is asking the state government for more money so it can handle an expected rise in complaints about AI in politics. Commissioners are also looking at new rules to make clear exactly when labels are required. Berman says lawmakers will keep watching and may write stronger laws if needed.

President Trump also commented on the Los Angeles mayor's race this week. He said he would like to see Pratt 'do well' and called him 'a big MAGA person.' Trump is very unpopular in Los Angeles, a heavily Democratic city, so his support could actually hurt Pratt with voters. Both of Pratt's opponents quickly used Trump's comments against him by tying Pratt to the president's policies.