In the News

By MIA MCCARTHY, KELLY GARRITY and LISA KASHINSKY

01/23/2024

THERE’S A BILL FOR THAT -Some New Hampshire voters received calls Monday from a fake Joe Biden, encouraging them to sit out today’s primary and “save” their vote until November. The New Hampshire attorney general’s office is investigating the incident, Lisa reports, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu slammed the robo calls as illegal “voter suppression.” Meanwhile in Massachusetts, a bill filed by state Sen. Barry Finegold earlier this month would keep “deepfake” media out of campaigns in the last three months leading up to an election.

By Christian M. Wade
1/15/2024

State Senator Barry Finegold, D-Andover, has proposed legislation aimed at curbing the use of deepfake technology in political campaigns. The bill would prohibit candidates running for office from distributing deceptive or fraudulent synthetic ads within 90 days of an election in which they or their political party are on the ballot. Violators could face fines of up to $10,000, but the legislation exempts news organizations from liability if they make a "good faith effort" to clarify the inauthenticity of the material. Finegold emphasizes the potential for deepfake advertising to confuse and distort candidates' records, calling it destructive to the political system. The bill allows exemptions for candidates who include a prominent disclaimer in their ads stating that the content has been manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence. Deepfakes, computer-generated manipulations of visual or audio content, have become a growing concern in the realm of political campaigns, prompting efforts at both the state and federal levels to regulate their use.

WHAV News Staff
1/15/2024

The Massachusetts Senate has passed a bill, "An Act to provide for competitiveness and infrastructure investment in Massachusetts," aimed at utilizing the interest on the state's $8.2 billion rainy day fund to enhance the state and local communities' ability to compete for federal grants.

The legislation, if approved by the House, would direct the state comptroller to move the annual interest, approximately $250 million, to the Commonwealth Federal Matching and Debt Reduction Funds. This move is expected to unlock over $800 million in the coming years, which can be used for state or municipal match requirements for federal competitive grant opportunities and planning work for grant applications. After federal grant opportunities expire, the funds will be allocated to reduce the Commonwealth's long-term liabilities. The bill supports the state's competitiveness for federal funding opportunities, totaling up to $17.5 billion, through various federal programs.

Senator Barry R. Finegold expressed pride in voting for the legislation, emphasizing its commitment to fiscal responsibility and strategic investments in the state's future. Senate President Karen E. Spilka highlighted the importance of creatively managing the state's finances to remain competitive, equitable, and affordable. The bill was originally filed by Gov. Maura Healey in October.

By WHAV News Staff

01/24/2024

Senator Barry R. Finegold's proposed law, aimed at banning deceptive deepfake media of political candidates, has been referred to the Committee on Election Laws by the Senate. The legislation seeks to prohibit the creation and dissemination of synthetic media within 90 days of an election, depicting candidates or political parties with the intent to deceive voters or harm the candidate or party's reputation. The term "deepfake" refers to synthetic media, including false images, audio, or video. Violators of the law could face a penalty of up to $10,000, with exceptions for bona fide news reports, satire, or parody.

By Kimberly Atkins Stohr - 01/24/2024

While the law struggles to catch up, candidates and prosecutors must use existing law to try to curb AI-generated misinformation. - Maya Wiley, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, recently highlighted the significant threat posed by political deepfakes to the integrity of elections during a U.S. Senate hearing. Despite the potential danger, political parties and candidates have embraced deepfakery, leading to situations where the public struggles to distinguish between genuine content and manipulated information.

State lawmakers, including Senator Barry Finegold, are attempting to address the issue through the introduction of bills, but the absence of comprehensive federal legislation and constitutional concerns related to free speech protections, including satire and artificial porn, present obstacles to effective regulation. As the law grapples with catching up to technological advancements, existing legal frameworks may be leveraged, such as a Reconstruction-era law used to convict an individual spreading disinformation during the 2016 election. The urgency to take action is clear, highlighted by recent incidents like a deepfake featuring Joe Biden, which underscores the serious threat posed by the dissemination of manipulated content to the democratic process.

By Dave Copeland - 01/30/2024

State Senator Barry Finegold announced that Andover will receive $20,000 from the $10 million released by the Healey administration to aid communities affected by last summer's flooding. In a note to constituents, Finegold revealed that North Andover and Haverhill will also receive significant amounts, $725,000 and $480,000 respectively, to support ongoing rebuilding efforts. The funding is crucial for the towns, especially Andover, where a microburst in September caused extensive damage, including downed trees and widespread power outages. Town officials estimate a five-year timeline for completing the cleanup, particularly in wooded areas.

The Healey administration is additionally allocating an extra $7 million to increase the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program by 35%, supporting towns and cities in planning, designing, and implementing "nature-based" programs to combat future inland flooding. The town had previously faced flash flooding in August, and efforts are underway to secure state and federal funding to alleviate flood damage costs.