Expressing concerns about election interference and misleading AI-generated content, Meta, the owner of Facebook, will assemble a dedicated team to combat disinformation. This initiative comes in preparation for the upcoming European Parliament elections in June. The team will specifically focus on addressing the misuse of generative artificial intelligence during this critical period.
Generative AI, rapidly advancing in its ability to produce text, images, and video within seconds, has prompted concerns about its potential use in disrupting major elections worldwide this year. The technology’s capability to swiftly generate content in response to prompts raises alarms regarding its possible impact on the democratic process. As we witness the fast-paced evolution of generative AI, the fear of its misuse in influencing global elections becomes a pressing issue.
The European Parliament elections will take place from June 6 to 9. Its 720 lawmakers, along with EU governments, approve new EU policies and laws.
“As the election approaches, we’ll activate an Elections Operations Center to identify potential threats and put mitigations in place in real time,” wrote Marco Pancini, Meta’s head of EU affairs, in a blog post.
He asserted that teams from the company’s intelligence, data science, engineering, research, operations, content policy, and legal departments will actively concentrate on combating misinformation. Additionally, they will address influence operations while simultaneously working on mitigating the risks linked to the misuse of generative AI. This comprehensive approach underscores the commitment to enhancing the platform’s integrity and user safety.
Pancini announced that Meta, presently collaborating with 26 independent fact-checking organizations across the European Union in 22 languages, plans to expand its partnerships. Three new partners will be included in Bulgaria, France, and Slovakia. This expansion reflects Meta’s commitment to strengthening fact-checking efforts and combating misinformation.
Earlier this month, Meta, Microsoft (MSFT.O), OpenAI, and 17 other technology companies announced their collaboration to prevent deceptive artificial intelligence content. This initiative aims to counter any interference with global elections scheduled for this year.
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