Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) introduced legislation to protect voters from election misinformation created by artificial intelligence.
The Protecting Elections from AI Deception Act seeks to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to disenfranchise or defraud individuals of their right to vote and require liability waivers for AI-generated content.
“Misleading AI-generated content is a threat to elections, voters, and our democracy. AI-generated content is a powerful new tool that requires oversight and regulation to ensure our elections are secure and voters’ rights are protected. This threat is no longer theoretical. It is quickly making its malevolent presence known and will likely get much worse,” Brown said in a statement.
“I am especially concerned that false images, audio and videos will be used to target Black and minority voters whose voting rights have historically and consistently been under threat,” she continued. “Combining 21st century technology with old-fashioned voter suppression and misinformation is a dangerous combination.”
The legislation prohibits AI-generated images that send misleading messages about the time, place or method of voting; eligibility requirements to vote or register to vote; endorsements; and voting requirements.
It also prohibits the use of deception, threats, intimidation or fraud to attempt to interfere with an individual’s right to vote.
Those caught using AI for such actions could face penalties or fines under legislation.
AI, including fake audio and images, has already been used to promote narratives around the 2024 elections. Many of these efforts have targeted Black voters, a critical base for Democrats.
In more than one case, supporters of former President Trump created images of him surrounded by black supporters. Trump, who faces President Biden in a rematch in 2020, hopes to woo black voters.
Then, the night before the New Hampshire primary in January of this year, a series of AI-generated robocalls targeting black voters, posing as Biden, urged voters to “save your vote” for the general election. .
A bipartisan report The Senate Intelligence Committee also found that Russia’s use of social media interference during the 2016 election “targeted African Americans more than any other group or demographic.”
“A lie that disenfranchises a person from voting is an insult to our democracy — no matter the source,” Alex Ault, policy counsel for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement supporting Brown’s legislation. “Black and brown voters deserve better than to be attacked and misled by bad actors using AI tools.”
In March, Brown sent a letter about AI election interference in the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Election Assistance Commission. The bipartisan letter requested information about the use of artificial intelligence to intimidate, threaten or misinform voters during the 2024 election cycle.
“The technology is new, but often the goals are as old as this country – to impede the rights of black voters and other minority groups,” she said at the time.
His new legislation has 46 co-sponsors, all Democrats, and has been endorsed by the NAACP.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
