Meta to mark AI, deepfakes to shield election integrity | Blue ...
Major social media platforms are taking steps to combat voting interference during the Australian election, as voters confront misinformation during the political campaign. You can login or signup to continue reading.
Combatting Misinformation
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, has announced that posts generated by artificial intelligence or digitally manipulated will now be required to carry a disclaimer. This move comes in response to concerns about the rise of realistic deepfakes - digitally altered images, videos, or audio that are becoming increasingly difficult to detect - potentially being used to spread disinformation and fake news during the election campaign.
Photorealistic content in ads created by Meta AI will now carry a label, as will generated images posted by users to Facebook, Instagram, and Threads from various organizations including Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Adobe, Midjourney, and Shutterstock. Meta has also mentioned that more prominent labels will be added to altered content that poses a high risk of deceiving the public on important matters. Ads that do not comply with these regulations will be rejected, and repeat offenders will face penalties.
Ensuring Transparency
Advertisers running ads related to social issues, elections, or politics are now required to include authorizations, including a "paid for by" disclaimer, which can be accessed through Meta's publicly available library. Training sessions are being conducted with candidates and political parties ahead of the election to ensure they have the necessary authorizations during the campaign.
Mitigating Harmful Content
Meta has a strict policy in place to remove misinformation that could potentially lead to imminent physical harm or interfere with elections. For posts that are debunked, Meta will attach a warning label and limit their distribution to reduce visibility. The company continues to collaborate with fact-checking agencies like Agence France-Presse and Australian Associated Press to ensure the accuracy of information shared on its platforms.
Furthermore, Meta is partnering with the Australian Electoral Commission to provide voters with verified information across its platforms. Users will also receive reminders to vote on polling day, aiming to promote civic engagement and election integrity.
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