The AI Political Content Disclosure directive tackles what the Election Commission calls a “deep threat” to free and fair elections from hyper-realistic synthetic media. Fabricated videos and audio of political leaders often circulate as real, potentially misleading voters and undermining the level playing field essential for democracy.
Under the new rules, all campaign material created or modified using AI must carry clear labels like “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content.” For videos, the label must appear at the top of the screen throughout, while audio content must include verbal disclosure in the first 10% of playback.
The guidelines require that AI-generated content include the name of the entity responsible in metadata or captions. This ensures accountability, allows voters to trace content sources, and reduces the risk of anonymous manipulation of electoral discourse.
Political parties must maintain internal records of all AI-generated campaign materials. These records should document creator details, timestamps, and generation methods to enable verification by the Election Commission, establishing a transparent audit trail for synthetic content used during elections.
The Election Commission mandates a strict three-hour compliance window for misleading AI-generated content. Any synthetically produced material containing misinformation on official party handles must be removed within three hours of detection or reporting, with violations subject to enforcement action.
The directive explicitly prohibits publishing or forwarding content that misrepresents the identity, appearance, or voice of any person without consent. This targets deepfakes and other manipulated media designed to falsely portray political leaders making statements they never made.
The timing of the AI Political Content Disclosure rules follows documented misuse of AI tools in recent campaigns. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress have deployed AI-crafted videos to target opponents, showing the technology’s growing role in political strategy.
This marks the Election Commission’s third major intervention on AI political content disclosure. It builds on May 2024 social media ethics guidelines and a January 2025 advisory on labeling synthetic content, exercising constitutional authority under Article 324 to protect electoral integrity.
International observers see India’s AI Political Content Disclosure framework as pioneering. By promoting transparency and accountability, the Election Commission sets a global standard for responsible AI use in elections, potentially guiding other democracies facing similar technological challenges.
The AI Political Content Disclosure rules arrive as synthetic media becomes more sophisticated and accessible. The Commission emphasizes that AI-driven misinformation can easily masquerade as truth, making regulation essential to maintain voter trust and safeguard democratic processes.
Looking ahead, enforcement of AI Political Content Disclosure requirements will rely on political party cooperation, detection technology, and public awareness of labeling standards. The Bihar Assembly elections will serve as the first major test, offering lessons for refining nationwide guidelines.
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