Meta Announces New Policy Mandating Disclosure of AI-Generated Political Ads by Advertisers
On Wednesday, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, unveiled a new policy mandating advertisers to openly acknowledge instances where they digitally manipulate or modify political or social issue advertisements, which may involve the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI).
In a blog post, Meta stated, "We are introducing a fresh policy aimed at providing greater clarity to users regarding the use of digital alterations, including AI, in social issue, election, or political advertisements on Facebook and Instagram."
This forthcoming policy is set to be enforced next year and will be applicable worldwide.
Advertisers will be obliged to reveal when an advertisement contains a photorealistic image or video or authentic-sounding audio that has been digitally created or altered. This encompasses scenarios where a genuine individual is portrayed as saying or doing something they never actually did, portraying a realistic-looking individual who doesn't exist, fabricating a lifelike event that never occurred, manipulating footage of an actual event, or presenting a lifelike event that is purportedly true but lacks accurate visual, video, or audio evidence, as outlined by the company.
However, advertisers will not be required to disclose instances of inconsequential or immaterial digital alterations to the content that do not significantly affect the claims, assertions, or issues presented in the advertisement.
Meta has committed to include information within the advertisement when an advertiser explicitly conveys that the content has been digitally crafted or altered as part of the advertising process.
Meanwhile, highlighting concerns regarding the misuse of AI for propagating misinformation, a deepfake video featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna has gained widespread popularity on the internet.
Following the viral circulation of this AI-generated video, the actress expressed her disappointment with its dissemination and emphasized the potential misuse of technology to tarnish someone's reputation.
