1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge immediate legislative action on a practice that is actively harming renters across New York City and New York State: the widespread and largely unregulated use of AI image manipulation in residential rental listings. This is not a fringe issue. AI-generated and AI-altered listing photos have become commonplace on major platforms including Zillow and StreetEasy. These images routinely misrepresent the actual condition, size, lighting, finishes, and layout of rental units. Renters — many of whom are making decisions under significant financial pressure and time constraints — are showing up to apartments that bear little resemblance to what was advertised. This is deceptive, it wastes people’s time, and in many cases it constitutes false advertising under existing consumer protection law. When I contacted these platforms directly to raise this concern, the response was telling: they acknowledged no ability to verify listing accuracy and deferred responsibility entirely to the listing agent. This is not oversight — it is an abdication of responsibility dressed up as policy. Without regulatory pressure, these platforms have no financial incentive to change. I am asking the legislature to take the following actions: • Prohibit the use of AI-generated or AI-manipulated images in residential rental listings unless explicitly disclosed as such, with clear and standardized labeling visible to the consumer prior to engagement. • Establish platform liability for listings that contain materially misleading images, removing the current practice of passing all responsibility to individual listing agents without verification. • Create an enforceable complaint mechanism through which renters can report deceptive listings and receive timely resolution. • Mandate disclosure standards requiring that all listing images accurately represent the current, unaltered condition of the property at the time of listing. New York has a long history of protecting its renters. This legislature has acted before when predatory practices have taken hold in the housing market, and this moment calls for the same leadership. AI image manipulation in rental advertising is not a technical grey area — it is a deceptive practice that is causing real harm to real people, and it is scaling rapidly. I urge you to introduce or support legislation that addresses this directly and without delay