JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, that the Scott Colom for Senate campaign removed two AI-generated political advertisements from its Facebook and Instagram accounts after the office warned the content may violate state law.
The Attorney General’s Office said it notified Colom and his campaign that the advertisements appeared to violate Mississippi’s law regarding political “deepfakes” following a complaint alleging the ads were AI-generated, were distributed within 90 days of an election, and used the image or likeness of U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith without her consent.
The notice, the Attorney General’s Office said, requested that the campaign remove the content and preserve all records related to the matter, and warned that violations of the law can carry criminal penalties.
Later on Oct. 23, Fitch announced on social media that the ads had been removed. “We notified the Scott Colom for Senate campaign that Mississippi law prohibits deepfake political ads. And we are pleased to announce that they have removed the ads from their social media,” Fitch wrote.
The Attorney General’s Office said it could have sought an injunction under state law if the advertisements had remained online. The office cited Section 97-13-47 of the Mississippi Code, which the office said carries penalties of up to five years in prison and/or fines of up to $10,000 if the intent is to “deter any person from voting.” Other violations, the office said, carry penalties of up to one year in prison and/or fines of up to $5,000.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
