In this episode of the PropMedia podcast, Matty & Moses, co-founders of Pixlmob.com and PropMedia.com, discuss everything relating to property media. This episode focuses on new legislation recently passed and coming into enforcement in California that is highly relevant to real estate photography, videography, and image alteration. They discuss licensing, usage, copyright, and how California's AB723 law now mandates disclosures for digitally altered real estate media, moving regulation from the private sector (MLS systems) into law with potential civil and criminal penalties. The hosts explore the impact of AI on image manipulation, the specific types of alterations the law covers (like changing fixtures, furniture, or views through windows), and which types of normal editing are excluded. They also discuss their positive view of the bill as a necessary step for data veracity and share details about a tool Pixlmob is developing to help realtors and photographers comply with the new disclosure requirements.

Chapter Markers:

- 00:00 - Introduction to the PropMedia Podcast and the episode's topic
- 00:37 - Discussion of licensing images in real estate and media pricing based on usage
- 02:15 - Copyright ownership, protection, and how it applies to real estate versus architectural photography
- 05:35 - California's AB723 law on image alteration and the shift from MLS regulation to state law
- 05:53 - Disclosures and the impact of AI on media alteration
- 11:05 - Specific enforcement details of AB723, including the requirement for a publicly accessible link to the unaltered photo
- 11:32 - The definition of a "digitally altered image" in AB723, including examples of covered and non-covered alterations
- 14:18 - Discussion of HDR blending, the "window pull" technique, and concerns about generative AI
- 17:21 - The law is primarily aimed at the people publishing the material, specifically realtors, brokerages, and those acting on their behalf
- 19:10 - Concerns about AI models creating fictitious elements, such as lighting from non-existent windows, and the high stakes of real estate photos
- 21:51 - Digital alteration is not new; examples of non-AI manipulation and the inherent manipulation of reality in photography
- 24:44 - The rapid proliferation of easy-to-use AI tools is the driving force behind the bill
- 26:21 - A non-lawyer suggestion for realtors: consider if a change would materially alter a buyer's decision to see the house
- 27:03 - Disclosure is the safety net that allows for creative tools to be used responsibly
- 28:43 - The law applies to *all* advertising, not just the MLS, setting a precedent for future laws in other states
- 29:34 - Reading the specific text of the law regarding disclosure and the required publicly accessible link
- 30:35 - How the law might include videos with digital alterations, such as digital actors
- 33:20 - The high stakes for authenticity in real estate compared to other fields
- 34:50 - Pixlmob's upcoming tool to simplify compliance with the disclosure law by providing a long-living site with the before-and-after images