‘The Streisand Effect’: Musk Shares AI Kamala Parody Video After California Bans Deepfakes

Elona Musk took to X to mock the new California Artificial Intelligence Regulationssharing a satirical video that he says would now be illegal under recent state laws. “Gov. California I just outlawed this parody video as violating the United States Constitution. It would be a shame if it went viral,” Musk wrote.
Musk previously shared the video on July 27, captioning it, “This is amazing.” Musk’s post drew criticism, as the Kamala Campaign slammed “Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s manipulated lies.”
The video Musk references features a parody of Vice President Kamala Harris criticizing her credentials while also making satirical remarks about diversity hiring and political competence. The AI-generated video includes statements such as, “I was selected because I am the best candidate for the job based on diversity. If you criticize anything I say, you are a sexist and a racist,” a dig at Harris’ role in U.S. politics.

Musk continued to mock the law, comparing it to the “Streisand effect,” a term that refers to attempts to suppress information that leads to it spreading more widely. He referenced an incident in which Barbara Streisand sued to prevent the disclosure of her home address, which ironically brought more attention to it.
Musk’s post is in response to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new law that aims to combat AI-generated content, particularly deepfakes.ahead of the 2024 election. The law, which takes effect immediately, prohibits the creation and distribution of AI-manipulated political content in the 120 days before and 60 days after Election Day. The law aims to preserve the integrity of elections and prevent the spread of AI-driven disinformation.
Newsom defended the decision, saying, “It is critical that we ensure AI is not used to undermine public trust through disinformation.”
X, despite criticism, also allows parody accounts, as long as they are “distinguished by their account name and bio.” The platform has no specific rules about individual posts that constitute parody. Other major social media platforms, such as Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, have rigged media policies that do not address satire or parody. X does not distinguish between posts that are parody and those that are not.