Officers responded to the area near Blake Loop and Peyton Trail on Monday evening after receiving reports of shots fired, according to Capt. Nick Wilson Williams with the South Fulton Police Department.

Police found the man in the wooded area. Medical officials pronounced him dead at the scene.

Investigators have not determined whether the reported gunfire was connected to his death. Police have not released the person's identity or provided additional details about the circumstances.

The investigation remains ongoing.

"Nate, I think, is going to be fine," Smart said Monday. "He's going to be day to day. Expect him to be able to play."

Frazier exited the game in the third quarter with an undisclosed injury. Smart said afterward the running back could have returned.

Frazier rushed for 75 yards and a score on 14 carries, bringing his totals to 202 rushing yards and five touchdowns through three games. The Bulldogs finished the game with 254 rushing yards. Quarterback Gunner Stockton ran for 97 yards. Chauncey Bowens rushed for 39 yards and three touchdowns.

Smart was less certain answer about the status of defensive back Tyriq Green, edge rusher Chase Linton and receiver Isiah Canion.

"They'll all be back soon," he said.

Canion, a transfer from in-state opponent Georgia Tech, sustained a right leg injury in the first quarter against Arkansas and left the game without a catch.

Linton and Green were both ruled out against Arkansas with lower-body injuries. Linton has not yet appeared in a game for the Bulldogs this season.

Fans have been eager for another glimpse of Green, who exploded with a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a fumble recovery for a score in Georgia's 70-20 victory over Western Kentucky.

___

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The CBS News Atlanta Next Weather team has declared a Next Weather Alert Day as a slow-moving front brings rounds of rain and storms through the region.

Flash flood warnings are in effect for Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Gordon and Murray counties. Some areas have received several inches of rain per hour as the storms move slowly across North Georgia.

Another round of storms is expected Tuesday afternoon and evening, with the greatest risk between 3 and 10 p.m. 

Some storms could produce heavy downpours and wind gusts of at least 60 mph. The overall chance of rain is 40%.

A few showers could linger Wednesday before the region begins to dry out and cool down. Highs are expected to remain in the 70s Thursday and Friday before returning to near 80 degrees this weekend.

Thunderstorms trigger FAA ground stop at Atlanta airport

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for flights headed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport because of thunderstorms.

The restriction applied to departures from several air traffic control regions and was scheduled to remain in effect until 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. The FAA listed an average delay of 24 minutes and a maximum delay of 54 minutes, with a low probability that the ground stop would be extended.

The FAA's daily air traffic report warned that thunderstorms could slow traffic in Atlanta and other airports across the Southeast on Tuesday.

Travelers should check directly with their airlines for flight-specific information.

Fields was among the artists participating in City of Hope's Healing Power of Hope and Art event during Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. Her subject was Dr. Natalie Godbee, the gynecologic oncologist who treated her during a frightening period of uncertainty.

Fields said she had experienced abdominal pain for about a year before her gynecologist noticed something suspicious and referred her to City of Hope.

"I was suffering with abdominal pain for a year," Fields said. "Finally, after a year, I got the referral for City of Hope."

Fields had not been diagnosed with cancer, but she said the possibility was frightening. She and her husband were both self-employed, their daughter was in college, and Fields worried about how a serious diagnosis could affect her health, work and finances.

"Me and my husband both are self-employed," Fields said. "My daughter's in college, and the bills, and the health, and work everything."

Fields eventually underwent surgery. The results showed the finding was benign.

"Thank God that everything was benign," Fields said.

She credits Godbee with helping her through the uncertainty.

"She took care of me really well and that gave me hope," Fields said.

Nearly three years later, Fields returned to City of Hope with chalk in hand. She created a portrait of Godbee surrounded by teal birds and blue flowers. Teal is associated with Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month.

"City of Hope is a special place for me because I was a patient here a couple of years ago," Fields said. "I got well here."

The artwork also brought Fields and Godbee back together after years apart.

"It's like a full circle," Godbee said. "It's been some years since we've seen each other, and I follow Lata on Instagram, all her beautiful artwork."

As Godbee studied the portrait, one small detail caught her attention.

"She got my pearl earrings," Godbee said.

For Fields, chalk is especially fitting because the artwork is temporary. She describes it as "ephemeral art," something meant to be appreciated while it lasts.

"It's like a sunset," Fields said. "Every sunset is beautiful, and every sunset is different."

The chalk may eventually disappear, but Fields said the gratitude behind the portrait remains.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cervical cancer is the only gynecologic cancer with a recommended screening test. The agency encourages women to know what is normal for their bodies and speak with a health care provider about concerning changes.

The Atlanta Community Food Bank and its partners are promoting brain health by providing fresh produce boxes to underserved seniors across Atlanta.

About 1,350 boxes will be distributed. Each contains fresh vegetables, including spinach and zucchini.

John West with the food bank said organizers selected foods that can support brain health.

"We're fortunate enough to have these resources to get out to seniors," West said. "Just like food insecurity, Alzheimer's does not discriminate in terms of social or economic class. There are a lot of seniors out there who also suffer from food insecurity and who are wrestling with an Alzheimer's diagnosis, so getting these nutritious resources to them is really vital."

People interested in receiving food through one of the food bank's partners can text "FindFood" to 888-976-2232. They will be connected with a nearby food pantry that partners with the organization.

Volunteers from the food bank's community partners will distribute the produce boxes throughout the week.

The Atlanta Community Food Bank partnered with Planet Harvest on the initiative.

Dr. Elizabeth Edgerly, vice president of care and support programs for the Alzheimer's Association, said memory loss that disrupts daily life can be a warning sign of the disease.

"Another sign would be having trouble with familiar tasks," Edgerly said. "Sometimes we see people even getting lost in familiar places. That would definitely be a sign."

Edgerly said adopting brain-healthy habits, including regular exercise, can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Young speedcuber Lian Yunzhi broke the women's 3x3 average world record twice in three days at two World Cube Association certified competitions in Wuhan and Guangzhou, according to state broadcaster CCTV on Monday.

She posted averages of 4.52 and 4.27 seconds after solving the Rubik's Cube five times.

Lian, who is from Chengdu, in China's southern Sichuan province, is "the first female speedcuber to average under 4.5 seconds," CCTV added.

A video CCTV posted showed the small girl wearing a red gingham bow on her head as she deftly turned and twisted a Rubik's Cube.

After solving the puzzle, she placed the cube on the table, clapped her hands and fist pumped the air.

Nicknamed "Zhizhi," Lian was first introduced to the Rubik's Cube after being enrolled into a class as a child — one of various extracurriculars alongside dance and music lessons, her mother Lin Yangxi told local media outlets, according to the AFP news agency. 

Lin "gradually realized" that cubing was an "excellent activity for fostering a child's comprehensive abilities" and shifted her focus toward it, she told Chengdu's Red Star News.

Her daughter has now mastered over 1,300 Rubik's Cube solving algorithms, practicing daily for 2 to 3 hours, Lin said.

Photos from Red Star News showed Lian's trophies displayed on a shelf in her home.

"Solving a Rubik's Cube improves focus, memory, logical thinking, spatial awareness, and helps develop a healthy mindset toward winning and losing," Lin said.

"It's not just about blindly memorizing formulas, but using logical reasoning to find optimal solutions," she added.

Will Bowerman says he's lucky to be alive after he got seriously hurt in a car crash when he was 9. 

He detailed his injuries while speaking to CBS Atlanta: "Cardiac arrest, spinal fracture. Rib fractures. Broke my clavicle. Biggest thing was my spleen. Ruptured my spleen and that had to be taken out."

He says it was a slow, intense recovery process, learning to walk again.

Once he recovered, Bowerman says watching other kids in the hospital grapple with their own traumatic injuries inspired him to volunteer with an organization for children with disabilities called Extra Special People.

"It's kind of grown my appreciation for people who work hard through these traumatic events," Bowerman said. "Some participants at ESP, they just needed a little more time. They can do everything that we can do. It just takes a little more time for them to get there."

Founded in 1986, ESP hosts year-round sports and arts programming for young people with disabilities and their families. This year, the organization is expanding by opening this new facility in Rome.

Andrew Griffin Wellborn, one of Bowerman's friends at ESP, says young people are finding community here.

"People who have ADHD or anything kind of disability-wise can come to ESP and kind of feel welcome to Rome or Athens or any location and feel like family," Wellborn said.

Will's mother, Tiffany Bowerman, says her son has found his passion through serving the children and their families.

"Watching him continue to grow personally, to recognize people have differences and different abilities and that we all have a place in the world and that we best serve each other when we help each other along, it's been really lovely to watch," she said.

Bowerman is now 17 and looks forward to seeing more kids evolve and make friends here once the Rome facility is fully renovated.

"If we could build this place to our preferences, streamline it so that every person of every ability could have an easy time, it'd just mean everything," he said.

People of different abilities and backgrounds at ESP are coming together to make everyone feel like they belong.

AAA said diesel prices in Georgia hit $6.35 per gallon. 

Carl Knapp was filling up in Gwinnett County on Monday. He has been driving trucks since 1974, but his 52-year stint may be coming to an end.  

"I've been doing this a very long time, and for a while it was halfway lucrative," Knapp said. "It's not anymore." 

Knapp said if he fills up from empty, it costs him $1,300. 

"I lease this truck and trailer," Knapp said. "Cost me $2,300 a week to lease it. That's insurance and everything else included. Then once the fuel prices come out, there's very little left. It's getting to a point where it's not worth it." 

Edward Harris has been driving trucks for more than two decades. He said he's never seen prices this high. 

"6,7 dollars a gallon," Harris said. "7 dollars if you go up near Chicago or even higher if you go out near New York. It all depends on where you are." 

He's hoping prices will decrease in the coming months. 

"Hopefully, it'll come down during the wintertime," Harris said. "Maybe it's just the summer, but hopefully it'll come down." 

AAA said California is seeing the highest average price for a gallon of diesel fuel at $8.42. 

According to reporting from CBS News, GasBuddy petroleum expert Patrick De Haan said the war in Iran has impacted global oil supply, leading to higher diesel prices. 

De Haan also said that experts say Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have impacted the country's ability to refine oil. 

Council members approved the resolution 14-0, affirming the city's support for light rail along the full 22-mile Beltline corridor and calling on the mayor's office to work with MARTA, Atlanta Beltline, Inc., and other city departments on next steps to implement and fund the project.

The resolution does not authorize construction or commit the city to spending billions of dollars on rail. Instead, it calls for city officials and transit agencies to report back by Jan. 26, 2027, with implementation and funding information.

Councilmember Kelsea Bond, who authored the resolution, said the goal is to bring clarity to a project she believes has been left uncertain for too long.

"Beltline rail has felt like it's in limbo for about a year and a half to voters all over the city," Bond told CBS Atlanta. "And we owe it to them to at least tell them what's coming next.  How are we going to fund it?  What is the plan?  Whether we're doing it at all?"

That uncertainty intensified after Mayor Andre Dickens withdrew his support last year for the planned Atlanta Streetcar extension onto the Eastside Beltline.  Bond said the mayor's office has since expressed support for her resolution and continues to support Beltline rail more broadly, though not necessarily as originally envisioned.

"Really what this resolution is doing is calling for a next step," Bond said.  "It's calling to move the conversation forward.  And I think everybody agrees that we owe that conversation to Atlanta voters."

The resolution comes just weeks after Atlanta Beltline released the final recommendations of a multiyear transit study examining light rail along the corridor.

The proposed system includes three routes:  a Beltline Loop running around the full corridor and Northern and Southern routes providing connections into downtown Atlanta.

The study estimates the capital cost of that three-route system at approximately $3.5 billion in 2025 dollars.  It projects about 4.2 million rides annually and calls for trains to operate in both directions for 18.5 hours a day, with service roughly every 10 minutes at platforms where routes overlap.

Atlanta Beltline says additional funding, planning and engineering would be necessary before the system could move forward.

For opponents of Beltline rail, the cost is central to the debate.

Hans Klein, president of Better Atlanta Transit and an associate professor of public policy at Georgia Tech, argues Atlanta should invest its transit dollars elsewhere.

"You're taking $3.5 billion and putting it all in one system, and run it around a circumferential route in the city," Klein told CBS Atlanta.  "So we could spend public money much better."

Klein said he does not dispute that rail could make it easier for people to travel among destinations along the Beltline.  His objection is whether the benefit would justify the cost.

"I don't dispute that it's going to do something," Klein said. "It's really just the expense of doing it."

Better Atlanta Transit has advocated for transit to the Beltline rather than rail on it.  Klein said he would prefer investments in bus rapid transit, trolleys and other rubber-wheeled transportation that could cross the city and connect more neighborhoods directly with destinations.

"I think you want to invest in transit technologies that give you more bang for your buck," Klein said.  "You want them crisscrossing the city where the demand is people."

"Some people need to go around the city on the Beltline loop," he added, "but the majority of transit demand is in crisscrossing the city."

Supporters of Beltline rail argue transit was part of the project's original vision and that years of planning have already been devoted to determining how rail could be incorporated into the corridor.

Bond said Monday's resolution is intended to move that debate beyond whether the concept exists and toward a clearer answer about what Atlanta intends to do with it.

"This resolution specifically, it affirms Atlanta City Council support for all 22 miles of light rail on the Atlanta Beltline trail," Bond said.  "And it also asks the mayor's office to work with MARTA and the Atlanta Beltline, Inc. to come up with an implementation plan by the end of January."

The outage had and will continue to have a ripple effect on air traffic throughout the country.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said early Monday evening the telecom lines that had been damaged in an earlier incident on NJ Transit property were repaired. However, delays are expected to persist at the New York City-area airports for some time.

As of 11 p.m. on Monday, there were hundreds of flights canceled or delayed at the three New York City-area airports, officials said.

Ground stops and delays had been issued at Newark Liberty, JFK and LaGuardia earlier in the day. Included in the stops were flights to the two New York City airports from more than a dozen regions across the U.S. and Canada, including Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Miami, Toronto and Montreal.

What we know about the airport outage

Duffy said an Amtrak crew accidentally cut into a Verizon fiber line in New Jersey, causing the outage, according to a social media post. CBS News New York reached out to Amtrak, which said the incident happened on NJ Transit property.

NJ Transit then released the following statement:

"At approximately 9:45 a.m. today, a construction crew working on the Delco Lead project between New Brunswick and North Brunswick accidentally severed a fiber-optic cable while working at the site. We've been made aware that this cable served as a back-up to a primary circuit system that failed," NJ Transit said.

"Preliminary information indicates the crew was operating approximately 10 feet from the utility markings. NJ TRANSIT staff is currently on site working to determine the status of the repairs, while also determining whether it was Verizon or the contractor who made the utility markings at the site.

"We will continue to work closely with Verizon and the contractor as the circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated. We will provide additional updates as information becomes available."

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the primary circuit in Philadelphia TRACON failed. The backup line also had a break, he said.

Bedford said the cut was somewhere between New Brunswick and Newark.

Some flights that were already in the air when the ground stops went into effect were sent to other airports. A spokesperson for Boston's Logan Airport confirmed they were "getting a lot of diversions from impacted airports."

Travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines for the latest information about individual flights.

Mr. Trump said Friday in a Truth Social post that he was barring CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House, in the Trump administration's latest move to target news outlets for what he views as disfavorable coverage.

In a joint statement on Monday, the three news organizations said they are suing to immediately restore access after they were denied entry on Saturday and had their press passes revoked. 

"There could not be a more direct assault on the First Amendment," the legal motion from the news organizations said. "Presidents from the earliest days of the Republic have disagreed with and complained about the tenor and content of press coverage of their administrations."

Mr. Trump posted on social media on Monday morning that the White House "is not instituting an assault on the Free Press, something which I cherish. It is instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS, something that has grown like Cancer in our beloved United States of America." He also wrote in a separate social media post, "FAKE NEWS IS A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY, and I will do whatever is necessary to make sure that the U.S.A. thrives." 

The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the federal bench by Mr. Trump during his first term. Kelly oversaw a lawsuit brought by former CNN reporter Jim Acosta during the first Trump administration after the White House moved to revoke his access. The judge sided with Acosta after CNN sued and ordered his press pass to be restored, finding Acosta's due process rights under the Fifth Amendment had been violated. The White House obeyed the order.

The lawsuit is asking a Washington, D.C., judge to move quickly to prevent further action from the White House on the ban. CNN was scheduled to be traveling with the president on Monday as the network pool team. Without a replacement, there was no television network traveling with Mr. Trump — an unprecedented move. 

The motion says they have notified the Trump administration of their intent to sue. The lawsuit names Mr. Trump and three of his top aides — Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, as well as spokesperson Steven Cheung and Secret Secret chief Sean Curran. 

Speaking to reporters after the announcement on Friday, Mr. Trump said there is "no reason" why the ban was issued when it was, and suggested it wasn't in response to any specific incident.

"I don't think somebody should be allowed to come and write fake stories. They're fake news. And they have no credibility," Mr. Trump said. "Now, if they want to write them, that's fine, but I don't have to let them into my —  into the people's house."

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press President Bruce Brown called the ban "flatly unconstitutional." He said the decision to block the outlets from White House grounds was "textbook viewpoint discrimination and will be quickly struck down by the courts if challenged." 

The Trump administration has attempted to remove media outlets from the White House and other spaces in the past. Last year, Mr. Trump barred The Associated Press from attending certain White House events after the news outlet refused to conform to Mr. Trump's proclamation that the Gulf of Mexico was now the "Gulf of America." 

The wire service sued on First Amendment grounds shortly afterwards, and while a federal judge in D.C. initially ruled that the White House must restore the news outlet's access, an appeals court later allowed the ban to take effect. 

The appellate ruling hinged on the fact that the AP was blocked from certain restricted spaces like the Oval Office and Air Force One that only a small subset of the White House press corps can access — a narrower policy than the outright ban imposed on CNN, MS NOW and Politico. The appeals court judges said the White House can't ban journalists from spaces that are "generally open to the press," like the briefing room, based on their viewpoint.

As the legal process played out, the White House assumed control of the press pool, a small, rotating group of journalists who cover the president every day and disseminate information and footage to other news outlets. The print press pool works in rotation so that wire outlets, including the AP, are now not granted access to spaces like Air Force One or the Oval Office as frequently as they once were.

The administration has also curbed news outlets' access to the Pentagon. Last year, the Defense Department required journalists with daily access to the building to sign onto a slew of rules, including one that suggested reporters who "solicit" sensitive information could be deemed a security risk and kicked out of the Pentagon. Most news outlets — including CBS News, ABC News, NBC News, Fox News and CNN — declined to sign and left the Pentagon.

After a judge struck down some of those rules earlier this year, the Defense Department changed course and began requiring any reporters on Pentagon grounds to be escorted by government personnel. An appeals court allowed that policy to remain in place.

The Atlanta Police Department said its team is working to quickly resolve the issue and restore full 911 service.

For the time being, Atlanta 911 calls are currently being answered by personnel from the city at the Fulton County Emergency Communications Center.

Officials have not given a reason for the service disruption.

Authorities say anyone experiencing an emergency or requiring immediate assistance should go to their nearest hospital, fire station, or police precinct.

The deal with a coalition of 12 state attorneys general clears the way for Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, to complete its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.

"This settlement is not a vote of support for this merger," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta at a press conference on Monday to announce the agreement.

Settlement conditions

The agreement includes pledges from Paramount to invest in domestic film production, Bonta said. The company will invest an additional $300 million per year in domestic production over five years, for a total of $1.5 billion in new investment, according to the proposed consent decree.

Paramount also pledged to produce 30 films in each of the first two years after the merger, and then 32 films a year for the following three years. Under the deal, at least 20 of the films must be wide-release movies in the first two years, and 21 must be wide-release films in the following three years. Wide-release films are those that are distributed to at least 2,000 movie theater screens, according to the consent decree.

If Paramount fails to meet those requirements, it will be required to sell the Miramax film studio, the document states.  For each film the company falls short of its annual release commitment, it must make a $30 million payment, with half going to the healthcare and retirement funds serving movie production unions. The rest would be divided between the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the National Association of Attorneys General Fund. 

The agreement also bars Paramount from selling or closing the Paramount or Warner Bros. studio lots in the Los Angeles metropolitan area for at least five years.

Paramount has also agreed to establish an independent board to "ensure independent, objective fact-based reporting at CBS News and CNN," Bonta said.

Additionally, the merged company must commit to separate negotiations for the distribution of basic cable channels owned by Paramount and Warner Bros. for a period of five years.

Under the settlement, a committee of five states will monitor and enforce Paramount's compliance with the terms of the antitrust agreement. 

The Department of Justice, Federal Communications Commission, and regulators in dozens of countries have already approved the deal.

"With both groups' concerns now addressed, we have complete clearance for this merger and can move toward closing," Paramount CEO David Ellison said in a statement on Monday, after the settlement announcement. "There's still work ahead to get this deal across the finish line, but we're excited to bring these two iconic companies together, as it means more opportunity for our creatives, production crews and employees across the business, and more great entertainment for audiences everywhere."  

Paramount clinched a deal for Warner Bros. earlier this year. But state prosecutors, led by Bonta, filed a lawsuit in July to block the transaction, alleging the merger would weaken competition in the movie industry and lead to higher prices for consumers. 

The Writers Guild of America also filed suit in U.S. district court to block the merger, arguing that it would harm competition for writers and eliminate jobs in the industry.

Paramount has rejected allegations that buying Warner Bros. would reduce competition.

Deal unites major brands

Before Monday's agreement, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California had scheduled a March 2027 trial to consider the states' legal challenge to the merger.

Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, owns the Paramount studios and cable networks, including Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, as well as the Paramount+ streaming platform. 

Warner Bros.' movie studio has produced box-office hits such as the "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings" franchises, and the company also owns cable networks including CNN, HBO Max, TBS and TNT.

Paramount's stock price was largely flat at $10.15 after Bonta's announcement, while Warner Bros. shares rose 11% to $30.80.

Penix's start comes as the team tries to turn around a season that began with two losses, the last of which was an overwhelming 34-3 defeat to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

In that game, quarterback Cooper Rush struggled, finishing 10 of 17 passes for 86 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble. When coach Kevin Stefanski removed Rush with the Falcons trailing Carolina 27-3 in the third quarter, undrafted rookie Jack Strand entered to a loud ovation.

Strand's stats — 8 of 15 for 59 yards with an interception and a lost fumble — were compiled during mop-up time against Panthers second-stringers with Bijan Robinson, Drake London and other starters on the Falcons sideline.

Penix has not played in preseason games as he worked on his recovery from a torn ligament in his left knee that ended his 2025 season. He was cleared for full team drills late in training camp, but said he wanted to avoid rushing his return since this is his third major knee injury.

When asked last week if he feels ready to play, Penix said, "I'm close. I know I've been saying that, but it's just a couple technical things that I want to hit, some goals that I have, that I want to achieve before I do stuff out on that field. But I do feel really good and we're taking strides each and every day."

Penix's teammates are eager to see his return to a game.

"I know we're ready to see Mike," running back Bijan Robinson said last week. "I know Mike's ready for himself. Forget what we think. It's him. I know he wants to play football. I pray for the guys every day, all the quarterbacks, but I know he wants to get out there and play because it's been a long time since he's been out there."

From local retail scams to high-profile political smear campaigns, the technology is blurring the line between fact and fiction. In Savannah, police recently arrested a man accused of using AI to falsify a Walmart delivery order. Meanwhile, in metro Atlanta, elected officials are speaking out after finding themselves directly targeted by malicious deepfakes.

College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom recently addressed a manipulated image circulating online that falsely depicted her kissing a man who is not her husband, pointing out side-by-side evidence of the authentic encounter to set the record straight.

"Deepfakes are being used against women in leadership in particular, and they mislead the voters who see them," Broom said. "I support the First Amendment, especially including the right of citizens to speak up about their government. That happens in many ways, including parody, protest, and criticism. A fabricated image presented as real is not speech about a person, though. It is a lie about them, and our laws should give people a way to hold its creators accountable."

Last week, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock issued his own warning about deceptive generative imagery after fabrications surfaced online claiming he had collapsed on stage and another alleging he was in recovery from cancer.

Georgia State University Professor Arun Rai, the director of the school's Center for Digital Innovation, warns that deepfakes present serious threats. Officials say that deepfakes can be used to sway elections, ruin reputations, and scam consumers out of hard-earned money.

"The Federal Trade Commission said that in 2025 they had over 1 million impersonation scams. They were not all deepfake impersonation," Rai said. "They've also estimated upwards of $3.5 billion in losses that have been attributed or associated with deepfakes."

On campus, Georgia State University students say that while lighthearted creations like dancing animals are harmless entertainment, weaponized misinformation is a growing concern.

"They need to limit the uses of what AI can be used for," said GSU senior Nas'sir Goodman, urging stricter boundaries on generative tools. "They need to regulate what people can ask for and what they can get back. People should not be able to have access to technology that could do stuff like that."

GSU freshman Jay Patel echoed those worries, noting how pervasive political fabrications have become on social feeds.

"You can't just keep making videos like this and like set them up. It's spreading false information and stuff like that," Patel said. "It's always something political. There's been multiple times before, you know, I have to go through the comments of anything and find that one comment that says 'It's AI, so don't worry about it.'"

To help the public combat digital deception, Rai recommends a clear three-step approach: pause, verify, and report.

"I think the most effective thing is pause, look at the content, and verify it from outside of the content, and that's the really important thing," he said.

Rai says to then report it through the appropriate channels, including consumer protection agencies or the Georgia Board of Elections. He says the final step is to not share or engage with the content until you have verified it through credible sources.

State lawmakers are also beginning to step in with some legal guardrails. Two key measures, Georgia Senate Bill 444 and Senate Bill 540, are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. One bill establishes safeguards surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare decisions, while the other mandates transparency by requiring automated services to disclose when users are interacting with an AI chatbot rather than a human being.