EC Tightens Grip on AI-Driven Campaigns

New Delhi: In a decisive move to curb misuse of artificial intelligence in electioneering, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out fresh guidelines on the use of AI-generated and synthetic content in political campaigns for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Under the new advisory, all political parties, candidates, and campaign representatives are required to clearly label any AI-generated, digitally altered, or synthetic image, video, or audio shared for campaigning purposes. The label — “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content” — must cover at least 10% of the visible display area in visuals, and be audible during the first 10% of the duration in audio clips.

The ECI has also directed that such material must prominently disclose the name of the entity responsible for its creation in the metadata or caption. Any content that misrepresents identity, appearance, or voice without consent, or aims to mislead voters, has been deemed unlawful.

Political parties have been instructed to take down such misleading AI content within three hours of detection or notification and to maintain internal records of all AI-generated campaign material.

The directive signals the Election Commission’s growing vigilance against the rising tide of deepfakes and synthetic media in India’s digital election landscape.

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