Deepfake Controversy Surrounds UK Election

Key Takeaway

• X refused to remove a deepfake of UK's Keir Starmer, sparking Labour concerns amid election fears; other platforms removed it.
• The incident highlights the challenge deepfakes pose to political integrity, with Labour leading in polls and fearing misinformation.
• Labour responds by training candidates in disinformation, emphasizing the evolving digital threats to elections.

Deepfake Controversy Surrounds UK Election

The refusal of the social media company X to remove a deepfake audio clip of UK opposition leader Keir Starmer has sparked significant concern within the Labour Party. The clip, which falsely portrayed Starmer verbally abusing staff, was released during Labour’s annual conference in October and quickly amassed approximately 1.5 million views on X. This incident is considered the first major deepfake event in British politics. Despite requests from Labour officials, X did not comply with demands to take down the content, citing a need for more information to prove the recording's inauthenticity. This stance has led to frustration among Labour officials and has been discussed in briefings to Labour’s shadow cabinet.

Other platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok, responded to the situation differently by removing the clip. X’s policy states that users should not share manipulated media that could deceive or confuse people. However, X also mentioned a caveat in its policy that if it cannot reliably determine if media have been altered, it may not take action to label or remove them. The account that posted the deepfake has been deleted in recent weeks, but X has not provided comments on the matter.

Political and Social Implications

The incident has underscored the profound implications of rapid advancements in artificial intelligence for politics in Britain and globally. The ability to generate and disseminate fake content about politicians on a large scale poses a significant challenge to the integrity of information. With polls suggesting Labour is in a position to win the upcoming UK election, concerns have heightened about the potential for similar incidents to influence the political landscape.

Both the Labour and Conservative parties anticipate that social media companies will release their election policies ahead of the polling day. Labour, in particular, is wary of the precedent set by X's decision and the possibility of other firms adopting a similar stance on fake content. The deepfake clip of Starmer has triggered warnings from across the political spectrum, including from former Conservative Cabinet minister Simon Clarke, who urged the public to disregard the clip.

Labour’s Response to Disinformation

In anticipation of a changed information landscape for the upcoming general election, Labour has been providing its candidates with disinformation training. The party acknowledges that the way people consume information has fundamentally shifted and become more fragmented. Labour has expressed its commitment to taking all digital threats seriously and is working closely with all social media platforms and international partners. The party anticipates that the forthcoming general election campaign will be unlike any other, highlighting the evolving challenges of digital disinformation.