New Delhi: As Bihar’s high-octane Assembly elections heat up, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has fired a stern warning shot, issuing an advisory to political parties to rein in the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and synthetic content in campaigns.
In a letter dispatched to all recognised national and state-level parties, the ECI underscored that deepfakes and AI-altered videos, audios, or images pose a grave threat to democracy by peddling misinformation and misleading voters.
The advisory, timed amid the fervour of Bihar’s polls, mandates strict adherence to the Information Technology Rules, 2021, and prior guidelines issued on May 6, 2024, and January 16, 2025. Parties are barred from deploying AI-generated or manipulated materials for deceptive propaganda. While AI tools aren’t outright prohibited, any content must be transparently labelled with clear disclosures — such as party affiliations or issue markers — to prevent public confusion. Violations will invite swift action, the ECI cautioned, emphasising that such tactics erode electoral integrity.
“Deepfakes and AI-driven falsehoods undermine the very foundation of our democratic process,” the letter stated, urging parties to self-regulate and report any instances of misuse. This move comes as tech-savvy campaigns increasingly leverage generative AI for viral memes and doctored clips, raising alarms over voter manipulation in the digital age.
The proactive stance of the ECI aims to protect Bihar’s 243 constituencies from a flood of misinformation, thereby ensuring a fair and impartial environment. With nominations underway and rallies in full swing, parties must now tread carefully, lest their high-tech gambles backfire into legal quagmires.