California regulates platforms. Texas punishes people. That is the whole difference.
California's 2024 package (AB 2655, AB 2839, AB 2355):
- Duties on large online platforms: block or label deceptive election content, respond to reports within 72 hours.
- AI disclosure labels required on political ads.
- Injunctive relief: candidates, officials, and the Attorney General can go to court fast.
- Satire and parody explicitly exempt.
Texas (2019 election deepfake law):
- Class A misdemeanor to create or publish a deceptive deepfake video intended to injure a candidate or influence an election within 30 days of voting. - No platform duties. No labeling regime. Just criminal liability for the creator. Sources: Congress.gov, NCSL Which works better is still an open question. California's model scales to platform-era distribution; Texas's is simpler to prosecute. Most states passing laws since 2024 have copied California's homework.