AI Policy and Governance Newsletter — August 2024
Australia's deepfake criminalisation is now law — agencies with online safety, workforce, or communications responsibilities should be aware.
Key points
- Australia's Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2024 has passed the Senate and is now in force.
- US Senate bills on AI content protection, likeness rights, and financial regulatory sandboxes remain proposed and unvoted.
- Newsletter commentary is advocacy-leaning; APS readers should weigh analysis as think-tank perspective, not neutral assessment.
Summary
The Good Ancestors August 2024 newsletter surveys recent AI policy developments across Australia and the US. The most directly relevant item for Australian agencies is the passage of the Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2024, which criminalises creating or sharing non-consensual AI-generated sexually explicit imagery. The newsletter also covers three US Senate bills — the COPIED Act, NO FAKES Act, and a financial regulatory sandbox proposal — all of which remain in progress. Commentary throughout reflects the think tank's safety-focused perspective and is not neutral analysis.
Implications for Australian agencies
- Monitor Agencies with online safety, HR, or communications functions may want to note the deepfake legislation is now in force and consider whether internal guidance needs updating.
- Monitor Policy teams tracking AI content and IP regulation may want to monitor the US COPIED Act and NO FAKES Act for potential signals relevant to Australian copyright and AI policy discussions.
Implications are AI-generated. Starting points, not advice.
"AI Policy and Governance Newsletter — August 2024" Source: Good Ancestors – AI Policy & Governance Newsletter Published: (undated) URL: https://www.goodancestors.org.au/newsletter/2024-08 The Good Ancestors August 2024 newsletter surveys recent AI policy developments across Australia and the US. The most directly relevant item for Australian agencies is the passage of the Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2024, which criminalises creating or sharing non-consensual AI-generated sexually explicit imagery. The newsletter also covers three US Senate bills — the COPIED Act, NO FAKES Act, and a financial regulatory sandbox proposal — all of which remain in progress. Commentary throughout reflects the think tank's safety-focused perspective and is not neutral analysis. Implications for Australian agencies: - [Monitor] Agencies with online safety, HR, or communications functions may want to note the deepfake legislation is now in force and consider whether internal guidance needs updating. - [Monitor] Policy teams tracking AI content and IP regulation may want to monitor the US COPIED Act and NO FAKES Act for potential signals relevant to Australian copyright and AI policy discussions. Retrieved from SIMS, 18 May 2026.