Digital landscape changes every day. Now, the dissemination of deepfakes in political campaigns has ignited a rigorous discussion around ethics and regulation. At present, 28 states have passed laws that explicitly ban deepfakes aimed at political candidates. These laws target especially sensitive areas like election and campaign integrity. Although most states don’t ban deepfakes outright, they need explicit disclosures to help prevent voter misleadings.
California, Minnesota, and Texas took courageous steps when they enacted legislation to fight against deepfakes. These laws intentionally focus on deepfakes meant to mislead voters or influence electoral outcomes. These new regulations are a product of the increasing awareness of the threats posed by digital manipulation to dupe the electorate.
For instance, last week President Donald Trump shared some deepfakes onto Truth Social. These videos testify to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ clear lies on immigration and voter fraud. This event brings to pass a long-held fear over the use of deepfakes for political manipulation and gain.
The clip with Schumer is a prominent example of manipulated content on social media, but it’s far from the only one. Similar examples have popped up on X, heretofore known as Twitter. In a previous controversy, Elon Musk, the owner of X, shared a distorted video of former Vice President Kamala Harris, which sparked discussions about the responsibilities of social media companies in moderating misleading content.
In the United States, there are no specific federal regulations of deepfakes. Only a handful of states have laws that outlaw deepfakes created with malicious intent. Some allow them, but only if it is abundantly clear what they are.
Worries over voter misinformation are growing as deepfakes become a more popular campaign tool among politicians. Each day looks worse for us,” Schumer said in an AI-generated deepfake, demonstrating how these technologies could be weaponized in campaign communications.
As the digital world rapidly evolves, deepfake regulation policy discussions are more vital than ever. Judging the use of these technologies too quickly misses key questions we must ask about transparency and accountability in our current political moment.
As Joanna Rodriguez pointed out, artificial intelligence is the new normal in our world. She went on to say, “AI is here, it’s not going anywhere. Adapt & win or pearl clutch & lose.” Lawmakers and social media platforms alike need to get ahead of the curve and the realities of today’s campaigns. This feeling really captures the sense of urgency that’s needed.
