To fight AI’s copycat games, the COPIED Act proposes…

The COPIED Act is a bold response to safeguarding the integrity of media against AI. A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill to streamline authentication and detection of AI-generated content, protecting journalists and artists from unauthorized use. This legislative proposal aims to combat the unauthorized alteration and replication of content by implementing robust authentication standards and transparency measures.

The COPIED Act, Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act, is a legislative proposal aimed at addressing the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) in manipulating and replicating digital content without authorization.

The primary goal of the COPIED Act is to establish robust mechanisms for verifying the authenticity of digital content and preventing the unauthorized use of AI-generated media. This initiative seeks to protect the rights of journalists, artists, and other content creators by ensuring that their work cannot be altered, misrepresented, or used without proper attribution. Here are the measures:

• Authentication standards: The Act directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop standards and guidelines for proving the origin of digital content. This includes methods such as watermarking and other technological solutions to authenticate media and detect synthetic content.
• Security measures: To safeguard against tampering and unauthorized alterations, the COPIED Act mandates the implementation of robust security measures for content authentication markers. This ensures that the integrity of original content remains intact throughout its dissemination and use.
• Transparency requirements: AI tools used for creating or manipulating content must allow users to embed information about the origin and ownership of the content. This information cannot be removed or altered, promoting transparency in the creation and distribution of digital media.
• Legal recourse: Content owners, including broadcasters, artists, and news organizations, are empowered to take legal action against entities suspected of using their materials without permission or tampering with authentication markers. State attorneys general and federal agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are authorized to enforce these provisions, thereby enhancing accountability and deterrence.

The COPIED Act has received positive feedback from various stakeholders, including publishing associations, artists’ groups, and media alliances. These organizations support the bill’s proactive approach to protecting intellectual property rights and ensuring fair compensation for content creators.

The Act is seen as a necessary step in adapting regulatory frameworks to the challenges posed by advancements in AI technology.

Featured image credit: Eray Eliaçık/Bing