Oklahoma Ethics Commission drafts rules to curb political AI deepfakes
State regulators are pursuing stringent disclosure requirements for synthetic media following a wave of malicious campaign content.
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission has launched a formal rulemaking process to regulate artificial intelligence in political campaigns. The move aims to curb the spread of deceptive synthetic media and deepfakes by requiring clear disclaimers on AI-generated political messaging.
The commission is drafting rules that would mandate disclosure when AI is used in campaign advertisements. This regulatory push follows a series of malicious AI-generated ads, including one that falsely depicted Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei hugging Hillary Clinton. The incident was severe enough that Governor Kevin Stitt previously threatened to call a special legislative session to address the issue. Because certain regulatory powers fall outside the commission's immediate jurisdiction, officials are coordinating with state lawmakers to close existing legal gaps.
The push for transparency
Regulators are treating the rise of generative AI as an urgent threat to election integrity. Adam Weintraub, an Ethics Commissioner, described the AI-generated content seen during the current campaign season as "malicious," stating that it is the only word that comes to mind to describe the examples. Justin Meek, Chair of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, emphasized the need for a rigorous approach, stating, "I would like it to be as stringent, limiting and prohibitive as possible in terms of what’s drafted."
A national legal minefield
Oklahoma is attempting to navigate a complex legal landscape where state efforts to curb deepfakes often clash with constitutional protections. While a presentation at the commission meeting indicated that 36 states have enacted laws regulating deepfakes in political messaging, other independent trackers, such as Public Citizen, reported that number at 31 as of early 2026.
The state is specifically looking to avoid the legal failures seen in other jurisdictions. Federal judges have already struck down similar deepfake regulations in Hawaii and California, ruling that those laws violated First Amendment rights to free speech. Oklahoma officials are now tasked with balancing the need for voter protection and transparency against these established constitutional boundaries.
Next steps for regulation
As the commission continues to refine its language, the focus remains on creating a framework that prevents voter deception without triggering a legal challenge. The agency will continue to coordinate with the legislature to determine which restrictions can be enforced through ethics rules and which require new state statutes. Observers will be watching to see if the final rules include specific blackout periods for synthetic media leading up to election day, a common feature in the sample language currently being reviewed by the commission.