In an age dominated by digital advertising and the influential role of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, there is a growing concern about the authenticity of political advertisements. Recently, Meta Platforms, the parent company of these platforms, made a significant announcement that could reshape the landscape of political advertising. The company declared that starting next year, political advertisers worldwide will be required to disclose the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their ads. This move is part of a broader initiative aimed at curbing the spread of "deepfakes" and digitally altered misleading content, particularly in the context of political discourse.
The disclosure requirement is set to take effect ahead of the 2024 US election and other future elections worldwide. Meta's policy covers any political or social issue advertisement on Facebook or Instagram that utilizes digital tools to create images of non-existent people, distorts the true nature of events, or makes individuals appear to say or do things they did not. The company, in a blog post, emphasized its commitment to transparency, aiming to provide users with more information about the content they encounter on its platforms.
This move by Meta comes at a time when there is a heightened awareness of the potential risks associated with AI-generated content, particularly in the political realm. Civil society groups and policymakers have expressed concerns about the use of AI in spreading disinformation, which could be exploited by foreign and domestic actors to manipulate public opinion. The decision to regulate political advertising involving AI reflects a proactive approach by Meta to address these concerns and create a more accountable advertising ecosystem.
The policy's scope includes various aspects of AI-generated content, such as the creation of images of non-existent individuals, distortion of actual events, and manipulation of individuals' statements or actions. By explicitly stating that minor uses of AI, which are inconsequential or immaterial to the ad's claim, are exempt from the disclosure rule (e.g., image cropping or color correction), Meta strikes a balance between transparency and practicality.
This announcement follows Meta's decision to restrict political advertisers from using the company's own AI advertising tools that can generate backgrounds, suggest marketing text, or provide music for videos. This dual approach, both requiring disclosure and restricting the use of specific AI tools, underscores Meta's commitment to responsible AI use in the realm of political advertising.
In parallel with Meta's actions, Microsoft also entered the fray by announcing a tool designed to address the authenticity of campaign content. This tool, set to be provided for free to political campaigns starting in the spring, aims to apply a "watermark" to campaign content, assuring viewers of its authenticity. Microsoft's move aligns with the broader industry trend of developing tools and strategies to combat the rise of misleading content, especially in the context of political campaigns.
The "watermark" approach proposed by Microsoft introduces a unique way to establish authenticity by embedding credentials into the content. This creates a permanent record and context for campaign content, allowing users to trace its origin and creator. Microsoft's President, Brad Smith, emphasized the importance of providing viewers with the means to verify the authenticity of the content they encounter, addressing concerns about the potential manipulation of political discourse through AI-generated deepfakes.
The joint efforts of Meta and Microsoft highlight a growing recognition within the tech industry of the need to establish safeguards against the misuse of AI in political communication. The crackdown on the use of AI in political ads reflects an acknowledgment of the potential risks to democracy posed by the proliferation of deepfakes and digitally altered content. The commitment to transparency and authenticity is a step towards rebuilding trust in digital platforms, especially in an age where misinformation can spread rapidly and influence public opinion.
It's noteworthy that Meta's decision to regulate political speech through AI disclosure requirements represents a departure from its historical stance. The platform has faced criticism for allowing politicians to disseminate false information in campaign ads, and for exempting politicians' speech from third-party fact-checking. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, has previously defended this approach, arguing that politicians should be given leeway to make false claims, and that voters should be the ultimate arbiters of truth.
However, the recent decisions by Meta to enforce disclosure rules and restrict the use of its own AI tools in political advertising suggest a nuanced approach. It indicates that there are limits to how far the company is willing to allow politicians to leverage new technologies in shaping public discourse. The evolving landscape of AI and its potential impact on political communication seems to have prompted Meta to reevaluate its stance and take proactive measures to mitigate potential risks.
The disclosure requirement introduced by Meta entails political advertisers revealing when AI or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social, or election-related ads. Advertisers must disclose if their ads portray real people doing or saying something they did not, or if they digitally produce a realistic-looking person that does not exist. Additionally, the disclosure rule extends to ads that depict events that did not take place, alter footage of real events, or portray real events without the true image, video, or audio recording of the actual event.
This comprehensive approach addresses various dimensions of potential manipulation, encompassing not only the creation of fictional individuals but also the distortion of events and statements. The intention is to provide users with a clearer understanding of the origin and nature of the content they encounter, fostering a more informed and discerning audience.
Meta's policy updates come in response to the increasing prevalence of "generative AI" tools that facilitate the creation of convincing deepfakes. These tools have made it cheap and easy to produce content that can falsely depict candidates in political advertisements, raising concerns about the integrity of democratic processes. By blocking political advertisers from using generative AI ads tools and requiring disclosure, Meta aims to address these challenges and contribute to a more trustworthy and accountable digital advertising environment.
Alphabet's Google, the largest digital advertising company, has also entered the arena with the launch of similar image-customizing generative AI ads tools. Google's approach involves blocking a list of "political keywords" from being used as prompts, reinforcing the industry-wide recognition of the need to mitigate the impact of AI-generated content on political discourse.
In the United States, lawmakers have expressed concerns about the potential use of AI to create misleading content in political advertisements, particularly deepfakes that could influence federal elections. The announcement by Meta aligns with the broader regulatory discussions around AI and its implications for democracy. It reflects a proactive stance by a major tech platform to address the challenges posed by AI-generated content in the political sphere.
Meta's commitment to rejecting ads that fail to disclose the use of AI and the possibility of penalties for repeated non-disclosure demonstrates a willingness to enforce these rules rigorously. This approach underscores the importance of accountability and transparency in the digital advertising ecosystem. By holding advertisers accountable for the use of AI in their campaigns, Meta aims to deter the dissemination of misleading content and promote responsible practices within its advertising platform.
In conclusion, Meta's decision to require disclosure of AI use in political ads marks a significant step toward addressing the challenges posed by AI-generated content in the realm of political advertising. This move, coupled with the restriction of its own AI tools for political advertisers, demonstrates a commitment to responsible AI use and transparency. As the tech industry grapples with the ethical implications of AI in political communication, Meta's proactive measures contribute to a broader conversation about the responsible deployment of technology in shaping public discourse and safeguarding democratic processes.