NAMFREL objects to AI ban for elections, proposes task force for monitoring use
The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) opposed a proposal submitted before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeking to ban the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in campaigns for the May 2025 elections.
The poll watchdog instead sought for Comelec to create a task force to monitor the use of the technology in the generation of election-related content.
“Comelec should implement a reporting and compliant process regulating AI-generated election paraphernalia,” Namfrel said, adding that candidates and political parties should self-regulate their use of AI.
Namfrel said that banning the use of AI may infringe on freedom of speech and expression. It added that Comelec may face challenges with banning and regulating the technology as "it requires expertise and a new set of skills to enforce the law."
The poll watchdog proposed that candidates who wish to use AI-generated content in their campaigns may be required to register and be open for auditing.
Content made with the technology should also be subject to review to check for discrimination and biases. Additionally, it should infringe on suffrage, digital, and privacy rights.
“Legal liabilities should apply to candidates, political parties, campaign teams, and public relations and advertising firms that caused the development or generation of AI-generated content,” Namfrel noted.
“Shared accountability is crucial due to the challenge in detection and monitoring by election management bodies alone,” it added.
Comelec issued a memorandum on May 29 where Comelec chairperson George Garcia warned about the misuse of AI.
"The abuse of this technology in campaign materials such as videos, audios, or other media forms may amount to fraudulent misrepresentation of candidates," he said.
"This defeats the very purpose of a campaign, which is to fully and truthfully inform the voting public about the elections and the candidates."
In the United States, the 2024 elections have been marked with manipulated images, deepfakes, and robocalls made with generative AI.
In February 2024, tech companies like Microsoft, Meta, X, OpenAI, TikTok, Amazon, and Google pledged to take action against the use of AI that would disrupt the 2024 US elections.
In May, Meta began tagging generated images with "Made with AI," and later "AI info." (with reports from Mayen Jaymalin)