Poll Body Directs Parties To Declare AI-Generated, Synthetic Content

With increasing worries about the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic content in political campaigns, the Election Commission of India (EC) has released a new advisory which sets strict rules for disclosing such materials as the Bihar elections near.

In its directive, the EC noted the rising use of hyper-realistic synthetic content showing political leaders making "electorally sensitive messages". This undermines fair competition in the election process, the poll body said.

The EC called the spread of such content a "deep threat and challenge" that can pose as the truth and mislead voters. It stated that using AI to create or alter political communication could "unwittingly trap political stakeholders into incorrect conclusions", eroding public confidence in free and fair elections.

The poll body stressed the need for transparency and accountability to protect electoral integrity. It reiterated its commitment to fair campaigning conditions, which is essential for democratic elections.

According to the new guidelines, all political parties, candidates and campaign representatives must ensure that any synthetically generated or AI-altered images, videos or audio used in campaigns have a clear and visible label. These could be "AI-Generated", "Digitally Enhanced", or "Synthetic Content".

The label must cover at least 10 per cent of the visible display area. For audio content, it should be present during the first 10 per cent of the duration. In videos, the label must be positioned on the top band of the screen, per the directive. Each piece of such content must also include the name of the entity responsible for its creation in its meta data or caption.

Political parties must keep internal records of all AI-generated campaign materials, including creator details and time stamps, to support verification when required by the EC.

The advisory also warns against publishing or forwarding unlawful synthetic content that misrepresents a person's identity, appearance or voice without consent in ways that might mislead voters. If such content is found on official party accounts, it must be removed within three hours of detection or report. 

Citing its plenary powers under Article 324 of the Constitution, the EC reminded all political parties of their responsibilities under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. It emphasised strict compliance with due diligence obligations to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process.

Elections in Bihar will be held on November 6 and 11, the result of which will be declared on November 14.