Advancements in AI technology and the changing “information environment” played a significant role in the 2024 election, according to expert Tim Harper. Harper noted that generative AI fueled disinformation campaigns, including false allegations against vice presidential nominee Tim Walz and a deep fake video of election officials ripping up ballots, both attributed to Russian misinformation efforts.
The use of AI also extended to attempted voter suppression by both foreign and domestic entities. In North Carolina, a group of 2,000 people utilized EagleAI, a database scraping public voter data, to challenge the ballots of “suspicious voters,” including same-day registrants, US service members overseas, and individuals with homestead exemptions.
Harper highlighted a rollback of enforcement of misinformation policies on social media platforms, which allowed the spread of election denial content. This shift, combined with the influence of podcasters and social influencers, shaped political opinions during the election cycle. Influencers, who do not follow the same ethical guidelines as journalists, often have undisclosed ties to political campaigns.
The Federal Election Commission ruled that while campaigns must disclose spending to influencers, influencers are not required to disclose such payments to their audience. Harper suggested that this election may be remembered as “the influencer election” due to the significant impact of social media personalities on voters.
The changing landscape of information dissemination and the role of AI in spreading misinformation have raised concerns about the potential for political violence. Harper stressed the importance of holding platforms accountable for preventing the dissemination of harmful content.
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