In recent years, deepfake technologies—photos, videos, and audio recordings created or altered using artificial intelligence—have rapidly spread across the internet. This technology can be used for entertainment or creative purposes, but it also poses a serious threat when it is used to spread false information, harm a person’s reputation, or manipulate public opinion.
In Armenia, the harmful use of deepfakes can give rise to civil, administrative, and criminal liability. The severity of the punishment depends on the purpose of dissemination, the consequences, and the extent to which the victim’s rights were violated.
1. Legal Assessment of Deepfakes in Armenia
Armenian legislation does not yet explicitly use the term “deepfake” in its laws; however, the application of this technology falls under the scope of several existing legal provisions, depending on the nature of the act.
Spreading false information through deepfakes may be assessed as:
- Dissemination of false or misleading information (including for the purpose of blackmail, fraud, causing property damage, or disrupting public security)
- Defamation of a person’s honor, dignity, or business reputation through insult or slander
- Illegal influence on political or electoral processes (if used during elections)
2. Civil Liability
The Civil Code of the Republic of Armenia provides that a person who has suffered from insult or defamation may demand from the court:
- A public apology
- Retraction of false or misleading information, or removal/prohibition of the deepfake material
- Compensation for emotional and moral damages (up to 3,000,000 AMD in the case of insult, and up to 6,000,000 AMD in the case of defamation)
- Compensation for property damages, including reasonable legal expenses and other reasonable costs incurred to restore the violated rights
These claims may be submitted regardless of whether the deepfake was created by a natural person or a legal entity.
3. Administrative Liability
If the dissemination of a deepfake does not result in criminal liability, it may lead to administrative liability in the form of a fine under the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Armenia.
Administrative fines may range from 30,000 to 800,000 AMD, depending on the nature and severity of the violation.
4. Criminal Liability
If the use of a deepfake has a more serious nature or has caused significant consequences — including cases of blackmail, fraud, causing property damage, or disrupting public security — liability arises under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.
Possible crimes and punishments include:
- Psychological impact through repeated humiliation of honor and dignity — a fine of up to 1,500,000 AMD, or restriction of liberty for up to 2 years, or short-term imprisonment for up to 2 months
- Fraud — a fine of up to 4,000,000 AMD, or community service of up to 270 hours, or restriction of liberty for up to 3 years, or short-term imprisonment for up to 2 months, or imprisonment for up to 8 years
- Extortion through blackmail — short-term imprisonment for up to 2 months, or imprisonment for up to 12 years
- Dissemination of false information about terrorism — a fine of up to 2,500,000 AMD, or restriction of liberty for up to 3 years, or short-term imprisonment for up to 2 months, or imprisonment for up to 3 years
- Interference in electoral processes through the use of deepfakes — a fine of up to 2,500,000 AMD, or restriction of liberty for up to 3 years, or short-term imprisonment for up to 2 months, or imprisonment for up to 6 years
5. Influence of International Practice
Although Armenia does not yet have a specific law dedicated to deepfakes, several countries have already adopted similar regulations. For example:
- France — up to 3 years of imprisonment and a €45,000 fine
- California, USA — prohibition of deepfakes 60 days prior to elections, with violations leading to heavy fines and criminal liability
- China — mandatory visual or audio labeling (watermark) of deepfake content, with fines and imprisonment for noncompliance
This international practice is likely to influence Armenian legislation in the coming years, making deepfakes a separate and clearly regulated legal category.
6. Practical Advice for Citizens and Organizations
- Verify the source of content, especially in the case of videos and audio recordings circulating on social media.
- If you have become a victim of a deepfake, immediately contact the police, the investigative department, or the prosecutor’s office, and at the same time file a civil claim.
- Organizations and media platforms should implement AI detection tools to identify and block deepfakes.
Conclusion
In Armenia, the use of deepfakes for the purpose of spreading false information is punishable by law at various levels — ranging from administrative fines to imprisonment. The specific punishment applied depends on the content of the material, the scale of its dissemination, and its consequences.
Although Armenian legislation does not yet explicitly use the term “deepfake,” such actions fall under the regulation of several existing legal provisions, and from 2025 stricter and clearer regulations in this area are expected.
