Google and YouTube Demand Disclosure of AI-Altered Political Ads Ahead of Elections
In preparation for the upcoming election season, Google has introduced a requirement for the disclosure of synthetically altered political advertisements.
As the influence of generative AI continues to grow, concerns have arisen regarding its application in political campaigns. In response to these concerns, Google has updated its political content policy, now mandating that advertisers disclose the use of artificially altered individuals, voices, or events within their advertisements. Notably, Google had previously enforced a complete ban on the use of deepfakes in ads. This recent policy change underscores the importance of transparency as the United States approaches the election season.
This updated policy will come into effect in November and will apply to election-related ads across Google’s platforms, which includes YouTube, as well as third-party websites within its advertising network.
Furthermore, the policy extended to other regions, including India, South Africa, and the European Union, where Google already has established a verification process for election advertisers. The goal is to ensure that audiences in these regions also have access to transparent and unaltered political advertisements as part of the democratic process.
