New Delhi: In the light of the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections, slated for February this year, political parties are leaving no stone unturned on social media. If you are a chronically online person, chances are you’ve come across posts from prominent political parties satirising, criticising, or mocking their opponents.
The air over the rock, currently, is filled with post-wars between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The posts on X and Instagram from both political parties are something to stop, see, and savour. These digital skirmishes, fueled by deepfake videos, edited movie posters, and dubbed scenes from popular web series, have redefined political campaigning.
The AI Alla Prima
The most striking element of this battle is the use of artificial intelligence in campaign strategies.
Take a look at AAP’s founder Arvind Kejriwal bowing down to Dr B.R. Ambedkar. Apart from a few fillers, everything else is generated by AI.
Here’s another one featuring Kejriwal as Santa Claus ‘distributing’ various schemes of the party to citizens.
AAP’s Durgesh Pathak shared a campaign video and in the caption claimed this year to be the “year of AI.”
Then comes the deepfake videos that the BJP aimed at their rivals. Take a look:
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This one features Delhi interim Chief Atishi Marlena and Arvind Kejriwal. Have a look:
Using deepfake technology, AAP also shared a clip from Amazon Prime’s Panchayat, propagating their campaign. Watch it here:
BJP, too, did not hold back. Watch:
Poster Politics
The BJP, on its Instagram page, shared a poster featuring Kejriwal’s face morphed into a character from a Bollywood movie.
Here’s another post riding pillion on Bollywood.
AAP retaliated with another post featuring Kejriwal as “GOAT.”
What does the ECI say?
During the general elections in 2024, the Election Commission of India released a communication directing the “responsible and ethical use of social media platforms.”
In the communication, ECI stated a few directives devised around the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, the Indian Penal Code and framework of the twin acts namely the Representation of People Act, 1950 and 1951
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Not allow their respective social media handles to publish and circulate deepfake audios/videos which violate the provisions of extant rules and regulations.
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Whenever such deepfake audios/videos come to the notice of political parties, they shall immediately take down the post but a maximum within 3 hours and also identify and warn the responsible person within the party.
The commission added, “The Commission has been repeatedly directing the political parties and their leaders to maintain decorum and utmost restraint in public campaigning.
The Commission once again directs with emphasis that all the political parties and their leaders must refrain from using in their campaigning any technological/AI-based tools which distorts information or spreads misinformation, which resultantly lowers the standards of electioneering.”
The monkey on the back
Deepfake technology has long troubled celebrities. Recently, journalist Rajat Sharma moved the Delhi High Court against AI-generated content misusing his likeness to sell medicines and other products. The court ordered the removal of such content.
In similar cases, Indian courts have issued injunctions protecting the personality rights of celebrities like Karan Johar, Amitabh Bachchan, and Anil Kapoor, prohibiting the unauthorised use of their voice, image, and other attributes.
When political parties openly use deepfake videos featuring ministers and actors from popular shows, one can’t help but question: Is everything truly fair in love and war? What do you think?
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