Patna, Oct 9: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday issued a stern warning to political parties, candidates, and star campaigners ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, cautioning them against using artificial intelligence (AI) to manipulate information or create deepfakes.
In its statement, the poll body stressed that any content generated or enhanced through AI must be clearly identified as such. “Parties, star campaigners, and candidates should prominently declare content as ‘AI-Generated,’ ‘Digitally Enhanced,’ or ‘Synthetic Content,’” the EC said, underscoring the importance of transparency in election communication.
The Commission noted that a strict monitoring mechanism is in place to track social media posts, with the aim of preventing any distortion of facts that could vitiate the electoral atmosphere. “The Commission advised the parties against misuse of AI-based tools to create deepfakes that distort information or propagate misinformation over social media platforms, emphasizing the need to uphold the integrity of the electoral process,” it added.
The warning comes in the backdrop of the last Lok Sabha elections, when the EC had issued guidelines to curb the spread of misinformation through AI-generated content. These directives remain in force to ensure that voters receive authentic information during campaigns.
Bihar is set to go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting scheduled for November 14. The Commission’s advisory aims to maintain a level playing field and ensure that technological tools are not exploited to mislead voters.
