Dear Editor:
I wanted to bring to your attention a growing and urgent issue here in Florida as the state considers its Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights.
Last year, I was arrested and jailed based on a fabricated “text message” that was never verified, never authenticated, and never produced in its original format. Basic forensic review would have immediately proven it false — but it never happened. This experience has cost me freedom, peace of mind, and deeply affected my life. My story has been shared publicly and featured in:
Investigative articles by Naples Press: Fake Digital Evidence: New Law Needed to Prevent AI Arrests
- Fake Digital Evidence: New Law Needed to Prevent AI Arrests | Local News | naplespress.com
- Jury Clears
ABC Action News Channel 6 (Philadelphia) investigative segment: Video Clip
ABC Tampa Bay: AI-generated evidence is landing people in jail. Article
Kim Komando Podcast Click here
The Deepfake Dialogues: An AI-Faked Text Got Her Arrested. Now She’s Fighting for Legal Reform. – Spotify
Florida’s proposed AI Bill of Rights focuses on how AI chatbots and platforms use personal data, which is important. But it does nothing to protect citizens from AI-generated or manipulated content being used as “evidence” in criminal cases. This is a dangerous gap, and the problem is growing nationwide — AI is increasingly being used to fabricate messages, documents, and other digital evidence that can frame innocent people.
I am advocating for what I call “Melissa’s Law” — an amendment to the AI Bill of Rights requiring mandatory authentication and forensic verification of any AI-generated or digital evidence before it can be used in arrests, prosecutions, or court proceedings. Florida has the opportunity to lead the nation in protecting both our privacy and our freedom.
I would welcome the opportunity to provide documentation from my case, discuss the proposal for “Melissa’s Law,” and explain the broader risks of AI-manipulated evidence for Southwest Florida residents.
Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent issue.
Melissa Sims, Legal Nurse Consultant | AI & Digital Evidence Accountability Advocate
Proponent of Melissa’s Law
