Washington SSB 5886: Protecting Forged Digital Likenesses (AI Deepfakes)
Washington · Wash. SSB 5886, Ch. 69, 2026 Laws; RCW ch. 63.60 (amending personality rights statute)
Washington updated its personality-rights law so that AI-generated audio or video that realistically mimics someone's face or voice without consent — called a 'forged digital likeness' — is now a civil violation. Victims can seek court injunctions to stop the misuse, and the civil penalty for each infringement is $3,000 plus any actual damages they can prove. The law became effective June 11, 2026.
Technical detail
SSB 5886 (2025-26 Reg. Sess.; signed Mar. 16, 2026; effective June 11, 2026) amends ch. 63.60 RCW (Washington's personality rights statute) to add 'forged digital likeness' — AI-generated audio or video realistically depicting an individual's appearance, voice, signature, or actions without consent — as a protected attribute alongside name, voice, and photograph. Civil remedy: courts may issue injunctions; civil penalty increased to $3,000 per infringement, plus actual damages available.
Who is protected: Washington residents and public figures whose voice or likeness may be replicated in AI-generated deepfakes without consent
Who must comply: Anyone who creates, uses, or distributes forged digital likenesses of real people without consent in Washington
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Washington |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2026-06-11 |
| Enacted | 2026-03-16 |
| Citation | Wash. SSB 5886, Ch. 69, 2026 Laws; RCW ch. 63.60 (amending personality rights statute) |
| Enforced by | Washington courts (civil action by the person depicted) |
| Private right of action | Yes — individuals can sue |
| Penalties | $3,000 civil penalty per infringement plus actual damages; injunctive relief available |
| Topics | deepfakes · copyright and training data · consumer protection |
| Last verified | 2026-06-16 |
| Official source | Washington State Expands Personality Rights Law to Cover AI-Generated Deepfakes — Cooley LLP ↗ |
More AI rules in Washington
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Washington HB 2225 (AI chatbot disclosure, minor protections, crisis protocols) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Washington HB 1170 (AI content watermarking & provenance metadata) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Washington SHB 1672 (employee monitoring notice, ADS restrictions, emotion AI ban) · In effect
- Washington HB 1999 (criminalizes AI/fabricated CSAM and nonconsensual fake intimate images) · In effect
- Washington SB 5395 (limits AI in health-insurance prior-auth denials) · In effect
Related deepfakes rules elsewhere
- Arkansas Frank Broyles Act AI amendment — voice and likeness protection (2025) · In effect
- Doe v. X.AI (Grok NCII deepfakes class action) · In effect
- xAI v. Harwood (Grok NCII Counter-Suit 2026) · Blocked / in litigation
- Arizona HB 2133 deepfake sexual content — vetoed 2026 · Vetoed
- NY AG · In effect
- MI SOS Deepfake Election Policy · In effect
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