Bots: disclosure.

Elections Technology

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Wilson
Last action: 2025-08-29
Official status: In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms, leaving these aspects unclear.

Bots: Disclosure Rules

This law requires people who use bots to disclose before interacting online that the interaction is with a bot and not a human.

What This Bill Does

Requires anyone using a bot to communicate online to disclose before any interaction takes place that the communication is with a bot, not a human.
Defines a 'bot' as an automated account or application where substantially all actions are done by AI rather than humans and could be mistaken for a human being.
Prohibits bots from misleading people about their identity and requires truthful responses if asked about being a bot.
Allows certain legal officials to sue for noncompliance with these rules.

Who It Names or Affects

People who use bots to communicate online.
Legal officials like the Attorney General, district attorneys, county counsels, city attorneys, and city prosecutors.

Terms To Know

Bot: An automated online account or application where substantially all actions are done by AI rather than humans and could be mistaken for a human being.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI): A type of AI that creates new content like text, images, and videos based on patterns it learns from existing data.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone breaks the rules.
It is unclear how this law will be enforced or what penalties might apply for noncompliance.

Bill History

2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-16 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-18 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on JUD.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 2. Page 1971.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-04-09 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-07 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-03 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-02 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (April 1).
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-11 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
2025-02-05 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 7.
2025-02-04 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 410, as amended, Wilson.
Bots: disclosure.
Existing law makes it unlawful for any person to use a bot to communicate or interact with another person in this state online with the intent to mislead the other person about its artificial identity for the purposes of knowingly deceiving the person about the content of the communication in order to incentivize a purchase or sale of goods or services in a commercial transaction or to influence a vote in an election, unless the person using the bot discloses that it is a bot. Existing law defines a “bot” as an automated online account where all or substantially all of the actions or posts of that account are not the result of a person.
This bill would require
a person who uses
a bot
to autonomously communicate with another
to
disclose
ensure that the bot discloses
to any person with whom
it interacts before any interaction takes place
the bot communicates when the bot first communicates with the person
that the bot is a bot and not a human being,
to answer
answers
truthfully any query from a person regarding its identity as a bot or a human, and
to refrain
refrains
from attempting to mislead a person regarding its identity as a bot. The bill would redefine “bot” to mean an automated online account or application
that a reasonable person could believe is a human being and
with respect to which substantially all of the actions or posts of that account or application
are not the result of a human being or
are the
result
outputs
of generative artificial intelligence, as defined. The bill would exempt from its provisions a
person who uses a
bot
that is required to comply with a more prescriptive disclosure scheme.
This bill would authorize the Attorney General, a district attorney, a county counsel, a city attorney, or a city prosecutor to bring a civil action to punish noncompliance, as prescribed.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF