A California lawmaker is determined to combat the spread of AI-generated misinformation in political advertising. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin plans to introduce a bill in the coming weeks to ban deceptive AI-altered materials used in political campaigns. With the introduction of this bill, Pellerin aspires to protect California voters from political misinformation in the upcoming 2024 elections.
The proposed legislation specifically targets false advertising tactics such as deepfakes, which involve the manipulation of images or recordings to misrepresent individuals. It also includes the regulation of altered robocalls that disseminate false information and fabricated images in political mailers. Pellerin, who previously served as Santa Cruz County’s chief elections official, aims to ensure that voters receive accurate information from trusted sources rather than being exposed to deceitful images, audio, or video.
Pellerin is collaborating with the California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED), a subsidiary of the political non-profit organization California Common Cause. Jonathan Mehta Stein, the chair of CITED’s board of directors and executive director of California Common Cause, emphasizes the need for regulation and protection against the use of AI to spread misinformation. He highlights the danger of these powerful, accessible tools undermining faith in elections and believes that action is essential to safeguard voters and democracy.
California has already taken steps to address this issue, passing Assembly Bill 730 in 2019, which requires disclosure if campaign materials contain deepfakes. Additionally, Assemblymember Marc Berman authored Assembly Bill 873, integrating media literacy into the state school system to combat misinformation. Berman stresses the importance of limiting misinformation to protect the well-being of our civic society and ensure that voters can distinguish between reality and manipulated content.
Manipulated messages, as Pellerin warns, have the potential to decrease voter participation. For instance, if voters receive a robocall falsely informing them that their voting location has changed, they may become discouraged and give up on voting altogether. A recent survey conducted by the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley reveals that 84% of Californians are concerned about the risks that deepfakes, misinformation, and AI pose to the electoral process.
The introduction of Pellerin’s bill reflects the urgency to address voters’ concerns regarding AI-generated misinformation. With the unpredictability of the 2024 elections, it is crucial to take appropriate measures to preserve the integrity of the electoral process. By combatting the spread of AI-generated misinformation, California is demonstrating its commitment to protecting the democratic rights of its citizens.
The source of the article is from the blog qhubo.com.ni