California Bot Disclosure Act (B.O.T. Act)
Makes it unlawful to use a bot to mislead people about its artificial identity in commercial or electoral contexts — an early, still-in-force chatbot disclosure rule.
Overview
Makes it unlawful to use a bot to mislead people about its artificial identity in commercial or electoral contexts — an early, still-in-force chatbot disclosure rule.
Key dates
- Sep 28, 2018Signed into law
- Jul 1, 2019In force
Risk areas addressed
Who it applies to
Anyone using an automated online bot to communicate with Californians to influence a commercial transaction or a vote.
Penalties & enforcement
Enforceable under California unfair-competition law.
Enforced by: California Attorney General
Whatever your exposure to California SB 1001, the practical work is the same: inventory the AI systems in scope, map them to concrete obligations, and keep the evidence to show it. A structured AI governance programme — risk assessments, documentation and continuous monitoring — turns a moving regulatory target into a repeatable process.