Proposed Pennsylvania bill seeks to safeguard online privacy after death
The article reports on a proposed Pennsylvania bill aimed at protecting people’s digital identities after death, particularly from misuse by artificial intelligence.
The legislation, introduced by State Representative Ben Waxman, focuses on how social media companies could use AI to recreate or simulate deceased users. The concern arises from emerging technologies capable of analyzing a person’s posts, messages, and behavior to generate new content that appears to come from them, effectively creating “digital replicas.”
Waxman argues that this raises serious privacy and ethical issues, especially as platforms integrate more AI features. Although companies like Meta have indicated they are not actively pursuing such technology, the existence of related patents highlights the potential risk.
The proposed bill would require explicit, informed consent from users before their data could be used to create AI-generated content or interactions after their death or long-term inactivity. It would also require users to opt in to such features, rather than being automatically included.
The goal is to ensure individuals retain control over their digital presence even after death, while also protecting families from unsettling scenarios involving AI-generated “digital ghosts.”
The legislation has not yet been formally introduced, but it reflects growing concern about how AI may reshape privacy, identity, and consent in the digital age.
