Fairbairn Deepfakes Friske

Parker Fairbairn said that Neil Friske voted “to keep AI pornography in the state of Michigan. This is ridiculous.”*

Friske did? Really?  

Fairbairn, Friske’s Republican primary opponent in the 107th District House race, made that accusation during a candidates’ forum at North Central Michigan College hosted by the Petoskey and Charlevoix Chambers of Commerce.

He was referring to House Bill No. 5569 of 2024 sponsored by Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing.

The bill, which passed earlier this month by a vote of 108-2 (Reps. Friske and Steve Carra were the two nays), creates the Protection from Intimate Deep Fakes Act and establishes criminal and civil liability for “nonconsensual dissemination of deep fake sexual images of an identifiable individual under certain circumstances.”

Deep fake, according to the bill, means a video recording, motion-picture film, sound recording, electronic image, or photograph deemed realistic enough that a reasonable person would believe it depicts an identifiable individual.

The bill allows for a defense, of the accused, based solely upon the written consent of the individual who is the subject of the deep fake.

In a Facebook post, Friske explained that he voted against the legislation because the amendment he championed - allowing for verbal consent also as a defense - was rejected. Additionally, he was concerned about the hefty fines in the bill.

“The bill would give an accuser up to $100,000 reward for erroneously bringing a claim, yet the defendant can’t properly defend himself,” Friske wrote.

All that to conclude: The bill does not 'ban AI pornography’ in the state of Michigan.

To say so, publicly, is . . . ridiculous!

Parker, if you are going to critique Neil’s votes, please do so with the truth and not with political deep fakes.

Otherwise, you appear . . . ridiculous.

Note: ERG is not offering a position on the bill, yea or nay. ERG is simply calling on Candidate Fairbairn to not fabricate incendiary talking points.

*at the 1:13 mark https://www.youtube.com/live/eYuHuYgeHpE?si=L12uKKNytZRZLjuA