Newsom ‘Confident’ Deepfake Law Will Be Upheld After Judge Strikes It Down

Judge John Mendez ruled that the law against deepfakes ‘hinders humorous expression and unconstitutionally stifles the free and unfettered exchange of ideas.’

The California State Capitol building in Sacramento, on March 11, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is “confident” a new state law targeting deepfake election-based content will be upheld after a federal judge blocked the law’s enforcement in a preliminary ruling on Oct. 2, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told The Epoch Times.

U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a preliminary injunction, blocking the law targeting deepfake content related to elections and candidates.