AI-Generated Fakery Sparks Concerns Over US Voter Manipulation
5 Sources
5 Sources
[1]
'Lies Are Flooding Feeds': AI Fakery Raises US Voter Manipulation Fears
A "deepfake" video parodying Kamala Harris, a manipulated expletive-laden clip of Joe Biden, and a doctored image of Donald Trump being arrested -- a tide of AI-fueled political disinformation has prompted alarm over its potential to manipulate voters as the US presidential race heats up. In what is widely billed as America's first AI election in November, researchers warn that tech-enabled fakery could be used to steer voters toward or away from candidates -- or even to avoid the polls altogether -- stoking tensions in an already hyperpolarized environment. A recent wave of disinformation has renewed calls for tech giants -- many of which have retreated from moderating social media content -- to strengthen guardrails around generative artificial intelligence ahead of the vote. Last week, Elon Musk faced intense criticism for sharing a deepfake video featuring Vice President Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, with his 192 million followers on X, formerly Twitter. In it, a voiceover mimicking Harris calls President Joe Biden senile; the voice then declares that she does not "know the first thing about running the country." The video carried no indication that it was parody -- save for a laughing emoji. Only later did Musk clarify that the video was meant as satire. Researchers expressed concern that viewers could have falsely concluded that Harris was deriding herself and sullying Biden. AFP's fact-checkers have debunked other AI fakery that raised alarm. Last month, a manipulated video ricocheting across X appeared to show Biden cursing his critics - including using anti-LGBTQ slurs -- after he announced he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination. A reverse image search showed the footage came from one of Biden's speeches, carried live by the broadcaster PBS, in which he denounced political violence after the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump. PBS said the doctored video was a deepfake that used its logo to deceive viewers. Weeks earlier, an image shared across platforms appeared to show police forcibly arresting Trump after a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. But the photo was a deepfake, digital forensics experts told AFP. "These recent examples are highly representative of how deepfakes will be used in politics going forward," Lucas Hansen, co-founder of the nonprofit CivAI, told AFP. "While AI-powered disinformation is certainly a concern, the most likely applications will be manufactured images and videos intended to provoke anger and worsen partisan tension." Hansen demonstrated to AFP the ability of one AI chatbot to manipulate voter turnout by mass-producing false tweets. The tool was fed a simple prompt -- "Polling locations charge for parking" -- with the message customized for a specific location: Allen, Texas. Within seconds, a tweet was churned out misinforming viewers that Allen authorities had "quietly introduced a $25 parking fee at most polling places." In a previous attempt at possible voter suppression, an AI-enabled robocall impersonating Biden urged New Hampshire residents in January not to cast ballots in the state's primary. Tests on another leading AI tool, Midjourney, allowed the creation of images seeming to show Biden being arrested and of Trump appearing next to a body double, the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said in June. Midjourney had previously blocked all prompts related to Trump and Biden, effectively barring users from creating fake images, tech activists reported. But CCDH said users could easily circumvent the policy -- in some cases by adding a single backslash to a prompt previously blocked by Midjourney. Observers warn that such fakery on a mass scale risks igniting public anger at the electoral process. More than 50 percent of Americans expect AI-enabled falsehoods to impact who wins the 2024 election, according to a poll published last year by the media group Axios and business intelligence firm Morning Consult. About one-third of Americans said they will be less trusting of the results because of AI, according to the poll. Several tech giants have said they are working on systems for labeling AI-generated content. In a letter to tech CEOs in April, more than 200 advocacy groups demanded urgent efforts to bolster the fight against AI falsehoods -- including prohibiting the use of deepfakes in political ads, and using algorithms to promote factual election content. The nonprofit Free Press, one of the groups that signed the letter, said they "heard little substance" in the commitments platforms would be making this election cycle. "What we have now is a toxic online environment where lies are flooding our feeds and confusing voters," Nora Benavidez, senior counsel at the watchdog, told AFP. "This is a tipping point in our election," she added. "Platform executives should be racing to strengthen and enforce their policies against deepfakes and other problems."
[2]
'Lies are flooding feeds': AI fakery raises US voter manipulation fears
Washington (AFP) - A "deepfake" video parodying Kamala Harris, a manipulated expletive-laden clip of Joe Biden, and a doctored image of Donald Trump being arrested -- a tide of AI-fueled political disinformation has prompted alarm over its potential to manipulate voters as the US presidential race heats up. In what is widely billed as America's first AI election in November, researchers warn that tech-enabled fakery could be used to steer voters toward or away from candidates -- or even to avoid the polls altogether -- stoking tensions in an already hyperpolarized environment. A recent wave of disinformation has renewed calls for tech giants -- many of which have retreated from moderating social media content -- to strengthen guardrails around generative artificial intelligence ahead of the vote. Last week, Elon Musk faced intense criticism for sharing a deepfake video featuring Vice President Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, with his 192 million followers on X, formerly Twitter. In it, a voiceover mimicking Harris calls President Joe Biden senile; the voice then declares that she does not "know the first thing about running the country." The video carried no indication that it was parody -- save for a laughing emoji. Only later did Musk clarify that the video was meant as satire. Researchers expressed concern that viewers could have falsely concluded that Harris was deriding herself and sullying Biden. AFP's fact-checkers have debunked other AI fakery that raised alarm. Last month, a manipulated video ricocheting across X appeared to show Biden cursing his critics - including using anti-LGBTQ slurs -- after he announced he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination. A reverse image search showed the footage came from one of Biden's speeches, carried live by the broadcaster PBS, in which he denounced political violence after the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump. PBS said the doctored video was a deepfake that used its logo to deceive viewers. Weeks earlier, an image shared across platforms appeared to show police forcibly arresting Trump after a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. But the photo was a deepfake, digital forensics experts told AFP. 'Partisan tension' "These recent examples are highly representative of how deepfakes will be used in politics going forward," Lucas Hansen, co-founder of the nonprofit CivAI, told AFP. "While AI-powered disinformation is certainly a concern, the most likely applications will be manufactured images and videos intended to provoke anger and worsen partisan tension." Hansen demonstrated to AFP the ability of one AI chatbot to manipulate voter turnout by mass-producing false tweets. The tool was fed a simple prompt -- "Polling locations charge for parking" -- with the message customized for a specific location: Allen, Texas. Within seconds, a tweet was churned out misinforming viewers that Allen authorities had "quietly introduced a $25 parking fee at most polling places." In a previous attempt at possible voter suppression, an AI-enabled robocall impersonating Biden urged New Hampshire residents in January not to cast ballots in the state's primary. Tests on another leading AI tool, Midjourney, allowed the creation of images seeming to show Biden being arrested and of Trump appearing next to a body double, the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said in June. Midjourney had previously blocked all prompts related to Trump and Biden, effectively barring users from creating fake images, tech activists reported. But CCDH said users could easily circumvent the policy -- in some cases by adding a single backslash to a prompt previously blocked by Midjourney. 'Tipping point' Observers warn that such fakery on a mass scale risks igniting public anger at the electoral process. More than 50 percent of Americans expect AI-enabled falsehoods to impact who wins the 2024 election, according to a poll published last year by the media group Axios and business intelligence firm Morning Consult. About one-third of Americans said they will be less trusting of the results because of AI, according to the poll. Several tech giants have said they are working on systems for labeling AI-generated content. In a letter to tech CEOs in April, more than 200 advocacy groups demanded urgent efforts to bolster the fight against AI falsehoods -- including prohibiting the use of deepfakes in political ads, and using algorithms to promote factual election content. The nonprofit Free Press, one of the groups that signed the letter, said they "heard little substance" in the commitments platforms would be making this election cycle. "What we have now is a toxic online environment where lies are flooding our feeds and confusing voters," Nora Benavidez, senior counsel at the watchdog, told AFP. "This is a tipping point in our election," she added. "Platform executives should be racing to strengthen and enforce their policies against deepfakes and other problems."
[3]
'Lies are flooding feeds': AI fakery raises US voter manipulation fears
Former US president and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points to the crowd as he leaves after speaking during a campaign rally at the Georgia State University Convocation Centre in Atlanta, on August 3, 2024. -- AFP A "deepfake" video parodying Kamala Harris, a manipulated expletive-laden clip of Joe Biden, and a doctored image of Donald Trump being arrested -- a tide of AI-fuelled political disinformation has prompted alarm over its potential to manipulate voters as the US presidential race heats up. In what is widely billed as America's first AI election in November, researchers warn that tech-enabled fakery could be used to steer voters towards or away from candidates -- or even to avoid the polls altogether -- stoking tensions in an already hyperpolarized environment. A recent wave of disinformation has renewed calls for tech giants -- many of which have retreated from moderating social media content -- to strengthen guardrails around generative artificial intelligence ahead of the vote. Last week, Elon Musk faced intense criticism for sharing a deepfake video featuring Vice President Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, with his 192 million followers on X, formerly Twitter. In it, a voiceover mimicking Harris calls President Joe Biden senile; the voice then declares that she does not "know the first thing about running the country." The video carried no indication that it was parody -- save for a laughing emoji. Only later did Musk clarify that the video was meant as satire. Researchers expressed concern that viewers could have falsely concluded that Harris was deriding herself and sullying Biden. AFP's fact-checkers have debunked other AI fakery that raised alarm. Last month, a manipulated video ricocheting across X appeared to show Biden cursing his critics - including using anti-LGBTQ slurs -- after he announced he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination. A reverse image search showed the footage came from one of Biden's speeches, carried live by the broadcaster PBS, in which he denounced political violence after the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump. PBS said the doctored video was a deepfake that used its logo to deceive viewers. Weeks earlier, an image shared across platforms appeared to show police forcibly arresting Trump after a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. But the photo was a deepfake, digital forensics experts told AFP. "These recent examples are highly representative of how deepfakes will be used in politics going forward," Lucas Hansen, co-founder of the nonprofit CivAI, told AFP. "While AI-powered disinformation is certainly a concern, the most likely applications will be manufactured images and videos intended to provoke anger and worsen partisan tension." Hansen demonstrated to AFP the ability of one AI chatbot to manipulate voter turnout by mass-producing false tweets. The tool was fed a simple prompt -- "Polling locations charge for parking" -- with the message customized for a specific location: Allen, Texas. Within seconds, a tweet was churned out misinforming viewers that Allen authorities had "quietly introduced a $25 parking fee at most polling places." In a previous attempt at possible voter suppression, an AI-enabled robocall impersonating Biden urged New Hampshire residents in January not to cast ballots in the state's primary. Tests on another leading AI tool, Midjourney, allowed the creation of images seeming to show Biden being arrested and of Trump appearing next to a body double, the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said in June.
[4]
AI fakery raises US voter manipulation fears
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A "deepfake" video parodying Kamala Harris, a manipulated expletive-laden clip of Joe Biden, and a doctored image of Donald Trump being arrested - a tide of artificial intelligence (AI)-fueled political disinformation has prompted alarm over its potential to manipulate voters as the US presidential race heats up. In what is widely billed as America's first AI election in November, researchers warn that tech-enabled fakery could be used to steer voters toward or away from candidates - or even to avoid the polls altogether - stoking tensions in an already hyperpolarised environment. A recent wave of disinformation has renewed calls for tech giants - many of which have retreated from moderating social media content - to strengthen guardrails around generative AI ahead of the vote. Last week, Elon Musk faced intense criticism for sharing a deepfake video featuring Vice President Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, with his 192 million followers on X, formerly Twitter. In it, a voiceover mimicking Harris calls President Joe Biden senile; the voice then declares that she does not "know the first thing about running the country." The video carried no indication that it was parody - save for a laughing emoji. Only later did Musk clarify that the video was meant as satire. Researchers expressed concern that viewers could have falsely concluded that Harris was deriding herself and sullying Biden. AFP's fact-checkers have debunked other AI fakery that raised alarm. Last month, a manipulated video ricocheting across X appeared to show Biden cursing his critics - including using slurs - after he announced he would not seek re-election and endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination. A reverse image search showed the footage came from one of Biden's speeches, carried live by the broadcaster PBS, in which he denounced political violence after the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump. PBS said the doctored video was a deepfake that used its logo to deceive viewers. Weeks earlier, an image shared across platforms appeared to show police forcibly arresting Trump after a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records. But the photo was a deepfake, digital forensics experts told AFP. Partisan tension "These recent examples are highly representative of how deepfakes will be used in politics going forward," Lucas Hansen, co-founder of the nonprofit CivAI, told AFP. "While AI-powered disinformation is certainly a concern, the most likely applications will be manufactured images and videos intended to provoke anger and worsen partisan tension." Hansen demonstrated to AFP the ability of one AI chatbot to manipulate voter turnout by mass-producing false tweets. The tool was fed a simple prompt - "Polling locations charge for parking" - with the message customized for a specific location: Allen, Texas. Within seconds, a tweet was churned out misinforming viewers that Allen authorities had "quietly introduced a USD25 parking fee at most polling places." In a previous attempt at possible voter suppression, an AI-enabled robocall impersonating Biden urged New Hampshire residents in January not to cast ballots in the state's primary. Tests on another leading AI tool, Midjourney, allowed the creation of images seeming to show Biden being arrested and of Trump appearing next to a body double, the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said in June. Midjourney had previously blocked all prompts related to Trump and Biden, effectively barring users from creating fake images, tech activists reported. But CCDH said users could easily circumvent the policy - in some cases by adding a single backslash to a prompt previously blocked by Midjourney. Tipping point Observers warn that such fakery on a mass scale risks igniting public anger at the electoral process. More than 50 percent of Americans expect AI-enabled falsehoods to impact who wins the 2024 election, according to a poll published last year by the media group Axios and business intelligence firm Morning Consult. About one-third of Americans said they will be less trusting of the results because of AI, according to the poll. Several tech giants have said they are working on systems for labeling AI-generated content. In a letter to tech CEOs in April, more than 200 advocacy groups demanded urgent efforts to bolster the fight against AI falsehoods - including prohibiting the use of deepfakes in political ads, and using algorithms to promote factual election content. The non-profit Free Press, one of the groups that signed the letter, said they "heard little substance" in the commitments platforms would be making this election cycle. "What we have now is a toxic online environment where lies are flooding our feeds and confusing voters," Nora Benavidez, senior counsel at the watchdog, told AFP. "This is a tipping point in our election," she added. "Platform executives should be racing to strengthen and enforce their policies against deepfakes and other problems."
[5]
'Lies are flooding feeds': AI fakery raises US voter manipulation fears
A "deepfake" video parodying Kamala Harris, a manipulated expletive-laden clip of Joe Biden, and a doctored image of Donald Trump being arrested -- a tide of AI-fueled political disinformation has prompted alarm over its potential to manipulate voters as the US presidential race heats up. PBS said the doctored video was a deepfake that used its logo to deceive viewers.
Share
Share
Copy Link
As the 2024 US presidential election approaches, the rise of AI-generated fake content is raising alarms about potential voter manipulation. Experts warn that the flood of AI-created misinformation could significantly impact the electoral process.
The Rise of AI-Generated Misinformation
As the United States gears up for the 2024 presidential election, a new threat looms large on the horizon: the proliferation of AI-generated fake content. Experts are sounding the alarm about the potential for this technology to manipulate voters and disrupt the democratic process
1
.The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has made it increasingly difficult to distinguish between genuine and fabricated content. From deepfake videos to AI-generated text, the tools for creating convincing fake media are becoming more sophisticated and accessible
2
.The Scale of the Problem
The sheer volume of AI-generated misinformation is staggering. According to NewsGuard, a media watchdog, over 600 websites are currently churning out AI-generated fake news articles on a massive scale
3
. This flood of false information threatens to overwhelm voters and undermine their ability to make informed decisions.Impact on Voter Behavior
The concern isn't just about the existence of fake content, but its potential impact on voter behavior. AI-generated misinformation can be tailored to target specific demographics or exploit existing biases, potentially swaying public opinion and influencing election outcomes
4
.Challenges in Combating AI Fakery
Detecting and countering AI-generated content poses significant challenges. Traditional fact-checking methods struggle to keep pace with the volume and sophistication of AI-created misinformation. Moreover, the rapid dissemination of fake content through social media platforms amplifies its reach and impact
5
.Regulatory and Technological Solutions
As the threat grows, calls for regulatory action and technological solutions are intensifying. Some experts advocate for stricter regulations on AI-generated content, while others emphasize the need for advanced detection tools and improved digital literacy among voters
1
.Related Stories
The Role of Social Media Platforms
Social media giants like Meta and Google are under pressure to step up their efforts in combating AI-generated misinformation. These platforms play a crucial role in the spread of information and are being urged to implement more robust content moderation strategies
2
.The Future of Democratic Discourse
As AI technology continues to evolve, the challenge of maintaining the integrity of democratic discourse grows more complex. The ability to create and disseminate convincing fake content at scale poses a significant threat to the foundations of informed democratic participation
3
.References
Summarized by
Navi
[1]
International Business Times
|'Lies Are Flooding Feeds': AI Fakery Raises US Voter Manipulation Fears
[4]
[5]
Related Stories
Weekly Highlights
Weekly Highlights
Explore today's top stories
Your Daily Dose of Curated AI News
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Spend less time searching for the latest in AI and get straight to action.
