In an unprecedented move, New Hampshire voters faced a disturbing voter suppression attempt using ai-generated robocalls imitating President Joe Biden's voice. The hoax calls urged recipients not to vote in Tuesday's primary, prompting investigations by the New Hampshire attorney general's office. Let's delve into its impact on the 2024 US elections.
Also read: What is Google's new policy for the upcoming 2024 elections?
Illegal voter suppression attempt
The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office is actively investigating a series of robocalls impersonating President Biden. These calls falsely claimed that voting in the primary would benefit Republicans and encouraged voters to reserve their votes for the November elections. State officials call this an “illegal attempt” to disrupt the primaries and suppress voter turnout.
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Caller ID hoax raises concern
The investigation gained momentum when a prominent New Hampshire Democrat, Kathy Sullivan, discovered that her personal cell phone number was appearing on the caller ID screens of call recipients. The misleading robocall was intended to link the crackdown effort directly to Sullivan, who is actively supporting a write-in campaign for Biden in the primary.
The impact on democratic processes
Biden's campaign and other political figures condemned ai-driven disinformation, calling it a threat to the democratic process. Campaign Director Julie Chávez Rodríguez expressed the campaign's commitment to fighting attempts to undermine democracy, emphasizing the urgent need to address the use of ai in political disinformation.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-deepfakes-and-the-2024-election-landscape”>ai Deepfakes and the 2024 electoral landscape
The robocalls, generated by artificial intelligence, mark a worrying trend in the possible misuse of deepfake technology during the 2024 elections. Experts warn that the use of generative ai, as seen in this incident, could sow confusion and perpetuate electoral fraud. The calls are indicative of a broader challenge that ai poses in influencing public opinion and manipulating elections.
Also read: How OpenAI will fight election misinformation in 2024
Our opinion
The disturbing use of ai-generated robocalls to impersonate political figures raises critical concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. As technology continues to advance, it becomes imperative that policymakers address the potential misuse of ai in campaigns. Safeguarding the democratic process requires swift action to regulate and counter the impact of such deceptive practices.
The attempted voter suppression in New Hampshire reminds us that technological advances bring innovation and challenges to the political landscape. As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, preserving the sanctity of elections becomes paramount. This requires proactive measures against the misuse of ai in shaping public opinion.
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