The Maine Synthetic Media Law (LD 517, Public Law c. 593) requires campaigns and political action committees to disclose when campaign communications contain images, audio, or video of a candidate that were materially manipulated or generated using AI. It was signed March 23, 2026 and takes effect in mid-July 2026, 90 days after session adjournment.
What the Maine Synthetic Media Law Requires
Covered communications must carry the statement “THIS COMMUNICATION CONTAINS AUDIO, VIDEO AND/OR IMAGES THAT HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED OR ALTERED.” The Maine Ethics Commission sets size and placement rules and can investigate violations, so the wording is fixed while the formatting details come from the Commission.
Penalties and Exemptions
Noncompliant spenders face fines of up to 500 percent of the amount spent on the offending communication, a penalty structure that scales directly with the size of the ad buy. Parody, satire, and qualifying news reporting are exempt. Anyone producing political ads for Maine races in the 2026 cycle needs the disclaimer on AI-altered candidate depictions before those communications run.
Source: Maine Legislature: LD 517
Report a violation: If you believe a business is violating this law, you can file a complaint with the Maine Attorney General Consumer Protection Division.
