Virginia Includes Expands Provisions Related to Slander, Libel, and Defamation, to Include Synthetic Digital Content

Summary
On March 24, 2025, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill to include synthetic digital content in provisions related to slander, libel, and defamation as well as making the use of synthetic digital content to committing criminal a class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also provides those depicted in synthetic digital content legal recourse through civil action. Finally, the bill calls on the Attorney General to create a working group to study current laws regulating synthetic digital content to make recommendations based on current enforcement and any further actions necessary to address such use in fraudulent acts.