Lawmakers call on tech giants to address AI in political ads

Legislators have shared ‘serious concerns’ with Meta and X

Lawmakers call on tech giants to address AI in political ads

Democratic lawmakers have told social media firms to explain how they are addressing the use of AI on their platforms.

Concerns over the spread of AI-generated political advertisements on social media, which could potentially mislead voters, are growing. In light of that, two Democratic members of Congress - US Senator Amy Klobuchar and US Representative Yvette Clarke - have called on Meta and X to explain how they are tackling the issue.

As reported by the Associated Press, in a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Klobuchar and Clarke expressed "serious concerns" over the emergence of AI-generated political ads online. They urged the executives to clarify any rules being devised to fight the spread of fake content, which could undermine the integrity of free and fair elections.

The lawmakers argue that, with the 2024 US elections approaching, a lack of transparency about AI-generated political ads could lead to a dangerous surge of misinformation and disinformation on social media, which is a crucial source of information for voters.

AI-generated political adverts

While Google has already announced plans to introduce new labels for AI-generated political advertisements starting in mid-November, both Meta and X have remained silent on the matter. The lawmakers have requested responses from the executives by 27th October.

Senator Klobuchar and Representative Clarke are actively pushing for regulations on AI-generated political ads. Clarke introduced a House bill earlier this year that seeks to amend federal election law, requiring labels for election ads containing AI-generated images or videos. Klobuchar is sponsoring companion legislation in the Senate, aiming for its passage before the year's end.

The pressure on social media companies to address this issue is mounting, as lawmakers call for transparency and accountability in the face of the rising use of AI in political advertising.

While First Amendment rights are acknowledged, there is a growing consensus that disclaimers must be implemented to inform the public when content is fabricated or manipulated.

Google's disclaimers

Klobuchar and Clarke hope that major social media platforms will take the initiative to regulate AI-generated political ads voluntarily, as the legislative process progresses. Google has already set a precedent by implementing clear disclaimers for such content on its platforms.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan Senate bill co-sponsored by Klobuchar and others is under consideration, which would go further by banning "materially deceptive" deepfakes related to federal candidates - with exceptions for parody and satire.