Deepfake Task Force Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to temporarily establish the National Deepfake Provenance Task Force.
Comprised of federal and nonfederal stakeholders, the task force must address threats posed by digital content forgeries (i.e., digital audio, images, and text fabricated or manipulated using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other emerging technologies with the intent to mislead). The task force's activities include developing a plan to reduce the proliferation of digital content forgeries.
The task force terminates 90 days after submitting its final report.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2559 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2559
To establish the National Deepfake and Digital Provenance Task Force,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 29, 2021
Mr. Portman (for himself and Mr. Peters) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the National Deepfake and Digital Provenance Task Force,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Deepfake Task Force Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL DEEPFAKE AND DIGITAL PROVENANCE TASK FORCE.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Digital content forgery.--The term ``digital content
forgery'' means the use of emerging technologies, including
artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, to
fabricate or manipulate audio, visual, or text content with the
intent to mislead.
(2) Digital content provenance.--The term ``digital content
provenance'' means the verifiable chronology of the origin and
history of a piece of digital content, such as an image, video,
audio recording, or electronic document.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a private sector or nonprofit organization; or
(B) an institution of higher education.
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(5) Relevant congressional committees.--The term ``relevant
congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security and the
Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of
Representatives.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Homeland Security.
(7) Task force.--The term ``Task Force'' means the National
Deepfake and Provenance Task Force established under subsection
(b)(1).
(b) Establishment of Task Force.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary, in coordination with the
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall
establish a task force, to be known as ``the National Deepfake
Provenance Task Force'', to--
(A) investigate the feasibility of, and obstacles
to, developing and deploying standards and technologies
for determining digital content provenance;
(B) propose policy changes to reduce the
proliferation and impact of digital content forgeries,
such as the adoption of digital content provenance and
technology standards; and
(C) serve as a formal mechanism for interagency
coordination and information sharing to facilitate the
creation and implementation of a national strategy to
address the growing threats posed by digital content
forgeries.
(2) Membership.--
(A) Co-chairpersons.--The following shall serve as
co-chairpersons of the Task Force:
(i) The Secretary or a designee of the
Secretary.
(ii) The Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy or a designee of the
Director.
(B) Composition.--The Task Force shall be composed
of 12 members, of whom--
(i) 4 shall be representatives from the
Federal Government, including the co-
chairpersons of the Task Force;
(ii) 4 shall be representatives from
institutions of higher education; and
(iii) 4 shall be representatives from
private or nonprofit organizations.
(C) Appointment.--Not later than 120 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the co-chairpersons of
the Task Force shall appoint members to the Task Force
in accordance with subparagraph (A) from among
technical experts in--
(i) artificial intelligence;
(ii) media manipulation;
(iii) digital forensics;
(iv) secure digital content and delivery;
(v) cryptography; or
(vi) related subjects.
(D) Term of appointment.--The term of a member of
the Task Force shall end on the date described in
subsection (g)(1).
(E) Vacancy.--Any vacancy occurring in the
membership of the Task Force shall be filled in the
same manner in which the original appointment was made.
(F) Expenses for non-federal members.--Members of
the Task Force described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of
subparagraph (B) shall be allowed travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates
authorized for employees under subchapter I of chapter
57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from
their homes or regular places of business in the
performance of services for the Task Force.
(c) Coordinated Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall develop a coordinated
plan to--
(A) reduce the proliferation and impact of digital
content forgeries, including by exploring how the
adoption of a digital content provenance standard could
assist with reducing the proliferation of digital
content forgeries;
(B) develop mechanisms for content creators to--
(i) cryptographically certify the
authenticity of original media and non-
deceptive manipulations; and
(ii) enable the public to validate the
authenticity of original media and non-
deceptive manipulations to establish digital
content provenance; and
(C) increase the ability of internet companies,
journalists, watchdog organizations, other relevant
entities, and members of the public to--
(i) meaningfully scrutinize and identify
potential digital content forgeries; and
(ii) relay trust and information about
digital content provenance to content
consumers.
(2) Contents.--The plan required under paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) A Government-wide research and development
agenda to--
(i) improve technologies and systems to
detect digital content forgeries; and
(ii) relay information about digital
content provenance to content consumers.
(B) An assessment of the feasibility of, and
obstacles to, the deployment of technologies and
systems to capture, preserve, and display digital
content provenance.
(C) An assessment of the feasibility of, and
challenges in, distinguishing between--
(i) benign or helpful alterations to
digital content; and
(ii) intentionally deceptive or obfuscating
alterations to digital content.
(D) A discussion of best practices, including any
necessary standards, for the adoption and effective use
of technologies and systems to determine digital
content provenance and detect digital content
forgeries.
(E) Conceptual proposals for necessary research
projects and experiments to further develop successful
technology to ascertain digital content provenance.
(F) Proposed policy changes, including changes in
law, to--
(i) incentivize the adoption of
technologies, systems, open standards, or other
means to detect digital content forgeries and
determine digital content provenance; and
(ii) reduce the incidence, proliferation,
and impact of digital content forgeries.
(G) Recommendations for models for public-private
partnerships to fight disinformation and reduce digital
content forgeries, including partnerships that support
and collaborate on--
(i) industry practices and standards for
determining digital content provenance;
(ii) digital literacy education campaigns
and user-friendly detection tools for the
public to reduce the proliferation and impact
of disinformation and digital content
forgeries;
(iii) industry practices and standards for
documenting relevant research and progress in
machine learning; and
(iv) the means and methods for identifying
and addressing the technical and financial
infrastructure that supports the proliferation
of digital content forgeries, such as
inauthentic social media accounts and bank
accounts.
(H) An assessment of privacy and civil liberties
requirements associated with efforts to deploy
technologies and systems to determine digital content
provenance or reduce the proliferation of digital
content forgeries, including statutory or other
proposed policy changes.
(I) A determination of metrics to define the
success of--
(i) technologies or systems to detect
digital content forgeries;
(ii) technologies or systems to determine
digital content provenance; and
(iii) other efforts to reduce the
incidence, proliferation, and impact of digital
content forgeries.
(d) Consultations.--In carrying out subsection (c), the Task Force
shall consult with the following:
(1) The Director of the National Science Foundation.
(2) The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine.
(3) The Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology.
(4) The Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency.
(5) The Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research
Projects Activity of the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence.
(6) The Secretary of Energy.
(7) The Secretary of Defense.
(8) The Attorney General.
(9) The Secretary of State.
(10) The Federal Trade Commission.
(11) The United States Trade Representative.
(12) Representatives from private industry and nonprofit
organizations.
(13) Representatives from institutions of higher education.
(14) Such other individuals as the Task Force considers
appropriate.
(e) Staff.--
(1) In general.--Staff of the Task Force shall be comprised
of detailees with expertise in artificial intelligence or
related fields from--
(A) the Department of Homeland Security;
(B) the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
(C) the National Institute of Standards and
Technology; or
(D) any other Federal agency the co-chairpersons of
the Task Force consider appropriate with the consent of
the head of the Federal agency.
(2) Other assistance.--
(A) In general.--The co-chairpersons of the Task
Force may enter into an agreement with an eligible
entity for the temporary assignment of employees of the
eligible entity to the Task Force in accordance with
this paragraph.
(B) Application of ethics rules.--An employee of an
eligible entity assigned to the Task Force under
subparagraph (A)--
(i) shall be considered a special
Government employee for the purpose of Federal
law, including--
(I) chapter 11 of title 18, United
States Code; and
(II) the Ethics in Government Act
of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.); and
(ii) notwithstanding section 202(a) of
title 18, United States Code, may be assigned
to the Task Force for a period of not more than
2 years.
(C) Financial liability.--An agreement entered into
with an eligible entity under subparagraph (A) shall
require the eligible entity to be responsible for any
costs associated with the assignment of an employee to
the Task Force.
(D) Termination.--The co-chairpersons of the Task
Force may terminate the assignment of an employee to
the Task Force under subparagraph (A) at any time and
for any reason.
(f) Task Force Reports.--
(1) Interim report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date on which all of the appointments have been made
under subsection (b)(2)(C), the Task Force shall submit
to the President and the relevant congressional
committees an interim report containing the findings,
conclusions, and recommendations of the Task Force.
(B) Contents.--The report required under
subparagraph (A) shall include specific recommendations
for ways to reduce the proliferation and impact of
digital content forgeries, including the deployment of
technologies and systems to determine digital content
provenance.
(2) Final report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the submission of the interim report under paragraph (1)(A),
the Task Force shall submit to the President and the relevant
congressional committees a final report containing the
findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Task Force,
including the plan developed under subsection (c).
(3) Requirements.--With respect to each report submitted
under this subsection--
(A) the Task Force shall make the report publicly
available; and
(B) the report--
(i) shall be produced in an unclassified
form; and
(ii) may include a classified annex.
(g) Termination.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date
that is 90 days after the date on which the Task Force submits
the final report under subsection (f)(2).
(2) Records.--Upon the termination of the Task Force under
paragraph (1), each record of the Task Force shall become a
record of the National Archives and Records Administration.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment. With written report No. 117-114.
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters with an amendment. With written report No. 117-114.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 382.
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