Protecting New York voters from AI-generated election misinformation

Artificial intelligence (AI) can easily generate misinformation and mistakes 

AI tools are inexpensive, widely available, and easy to use. In just the last year, AI-generated content has become more sophisticated and harder to detect. Although AI tools can be used for a variety of beneficial purposes, they can also be misused. As a result of advancements in AI technology, bad actors are able to create materials with misinformation faster than ever before. In addition, AI chatbots are also prone to providing incorrect and false information, even though they may seem like authoritative sources. 

It has been said that a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes, and that quote is all the more accurate in the age of social media. Once an AI-generated image or video is posted on social media, it can be shared rapidly and then spread like wildfire. By the time the AI misinformation or mistakes are unmasked, too often the damage has already been done. 

What is a deepfake?

With AI technology, users can easily create lifelike images, videos, or audio recordings with a simple text prompt.  

A deepfake can appear to be a real photograph, video, or audio recording of a real person. It can show someone making statements that they never made or doing something they never did. AI deepfakes can also appear to be official notices or communications from the government.  

Bad actors can try to misuse deepfakes to influence elections 

Deepfakes can be created for a variety of purposes. For elections, bad actors can use deepfakes to try to influence voter viewpoints or behaviors. For example, these materials may aim to deceive voters about candidates; eligibility to vote; or where, when, or how to vote. These deepfakes may try to get you to vote (or not) for a particular candidate, or prevent you from voting at all. 

For example, deepfakes might: 

• impersonate a government official providing false instructions about voting 
• try to intimidate you into not voting by threatening something that would never happen  
• include fake audio clips in phone calls, such as robocalls, to your phone, or fake user posts on social media 

It can be very difficult to tell deepfakes from authentic media. The technology is much more sophisticated than it was even a year ago, and we can no longer rely on finding flaws that might have revealed a deepfake in the past. In addition, deepfakes are often shared, and can even go viral, across the web and social media. It is critical to check with trusted sources, such as established news outlets or official election websites, before believing an unsolicited message about voting or elections.  

Of course, be on your guard against any kind of misinformation ─ whether it’s in a postcard or email or text you receive, or on a lawn sign you drive past. 

Be careful when using chatbots

Chatbots are AI programs that can respond to user requests and questions. While useful for many purposes, chatbots are known to provide incorrect answers, including the answers to questions about voting and elections. For example, we have seen many instances of chatbots sharing voting information for the wrong geographic location and providing incorrect deadlines and false requirements for voting. If you rely on the information provided to you by a chatbot without checking an official source, you could end up at the wrong poll site or miss an important deadline.  

For information about voting, consult the New York State Board of Elections or the local board of elections for your city or county. To find your local board of elections, you can use the county board roster tool. For basic poll site, registration, and ballot-tracking information, voters can visit the State Board of Elections’ voter lookup tool. 

Top tips to protect yourself

1. Consult New York state and local boards of elections to find information and questions about where, when, or how to vote, as well as to check your eligibility to vote. The OAG operates an Election Protection Hotline during the voting period, which you can contact to ask questions and file complaints. 
2. Do not rely on chatbots to answer questions about elections or voting.  
3. If you come across information about elections or voting from unofficial sources, verify it with official sources, and encourage others to do the same.  
4. Be skeptical of images, audio, and videos circulating online about the elections, candidates, or their campaigns. If you see emotionally charged, sensational, or surprising content, be especially cautious.  
5. Remember that fake content is hard to detect.  
   • The quality of deepfakes has improved significantly. Even if you cannot find any flaws or inconsistencies in online content, it still could be fake.
   • Although content sometimes includes a disclosure that it is AI generated, AI-generated content will not always be labeled as such.
   • Tools for detecting AI-generated content are not always accurate. 
6. Do not share content that you suspect may be fake unless you can verify that it is real. 
7. If you receive a phone call with information about voting or elections, be aware that the information may be inaccurate or fake. Remember to verify information with official sources. 
8. If you encounter social media content that you think is a deepfake, report it on the social media platform.  
9. Report misinformation about elections or voting to our office ─ particularly if the misinformation concerns the time, place, or manner of voting.