X Challenges Minnesota’s Deepfake Ban, Citing Free Speech

Elon Musk’s platform X sued Minnesota on Wednesday over a state law banning AI-made “deepfakes” meant to sway elections. The company argued the law violates free speech rights.

In its lawsuit, filed in federal court, X said the law replaces platforms’ judgment with the state’s and threatens criminal penalties if they get it wrong.

“This will lead to widespread censorship of political speech,” X said. Musk has called himself a free speech absolutist and removed Twitter’s content rules after buying and renaming it X in 2022.

The Minnesota law bans AI-generated images, videos, or audio designed to look real and mislead voters. At least 22 states have similar laws, according to watchdog group Public Citizen.

X asked a federal judge to strike down the law, saying it violates both the U.S. and Minnesota constitutions. It also called the law vague and argued it’s blocked by Section 230, which shields platforms from user-posted content.