Experts deliberate on growing challenges posed by misinformation in electoral process
Experts and election officials gathered at a conference to discuss the threats posed by misinformation and AI-generated content in the electoral process. The event emphasized the need for ethical technology and informed citizenship to protect democratic integrity.
Why it matters
As AI tools become more accessible, protecting the integrity of democratic elections from digital manipulation is a global priority.
The Election Department, in association with the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management and Pondicherry University, organised a conference on ‘Tackling Misinformation and Disinformation in Elections’.
A release from the Department on Wednesday said the conference was held to deliberate on the growing challenges posed by misinformation in electoral process and for exploring collaborative strategies to safeguard electoral integrity.
Participating in the conference, Vice-Chancellor of the University P. Prakash Babu said false information spreads much faster than the truth. The advent of Artificial Intelligence has further accelerated dissemination of false information, he said.
He elaborated on the opportunities and challenges of AI in election management and how the technology could be misused to polarize voters. The challenges posed by AI-generated deep-fake videos, synthetic media and other forms of digitally-manipulated content could undermine public trust in democratic institutions, he said.
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