Criminal Investigation Underway for AI Deepfake Biden Robocalls Discouraging Voting in New Hampshire Primary
A criminal investigation is currently underway into the dissemination of AI-generated robocalls featuring a fake voice imitating President Biden, encouraging voters in New Hampshire to refrain from participating in the state's recent primary election. The call, which fraudulently advised Democratic voters against exercising their right to vote, claimed that doing so would aid the Republicans in re-electing Donald Trump. The New Hampshire Attorney General's office has linked the fake call to two Texas-based companies, Life Corporation and Lingo Telecom.
The investigation, which was updated recently, revealed that the fabricated robocall reportedly reached as many as 20,000 individuals in New Hampshire. Authorities have named both Life Corporation and Lingo as potential entities involved in the initiation of these calls. However, efforts to obtain information or cooperation from the companies have been unsuccessful, as they have failed to respond to inquiries or requests for dialogue. At the listed address associated with Life Corporation, investigators discovered a strip mall where another entity called Text2Survey operated, providing no answers regarding the investigation.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and numerous attorneys general across the United States are taking this matter seriously, as robocalls have been a longstanding issue plaguing American citizens. While the involvement of these companies in the robocall operation has been established, the identities of the creators and financiers of the fake call remain unknown. It has been determined that the audio manipulation was performed using Eleven Labs technology, a freely accessible online service that enables the creation of AI-generated content replicating the voice of any individual. While Eleven Labs has acknowledged their commitment to addressing such misuse of their technology, they have refrained from commenting on specific cases.
In a separate but related development, controversy has arisen over an altered video on the social media platform Meta (formerly known as Facebook), depicting President Biden engaging in inappropriate behavior towards his granddaughter. The video, which has been manipulated to depict a false narrative, has remained on the platform despite Meta's awareness of its altered nature. Criticism has been directed at Meta's policies on artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and related content. The company's oversight board, responsible for content moderation decisions, has acknowledged coherent policies but also highlighted loopholes that pose a significant risk to elections worldwide.
In response to mounting concerns, Meta recently announced plans to label specific types of AI-generated content, albeit with limitations only applicable to content created using certain major software. However, industry observers and experts have noted the challenges faced by companies in effectively tackling the proliferation of misleading content, including both audio and video deepfakes. The lucrative nature of this industry raises questions about the extent to which companies are genuinely invested in finding solutions, as profit may overshadow their commitment to addressing societal harms.
The investigation into the robocalls continues as federal and state investigators strive to unveil the individuals responsible for orchestrating this disinformation campaign. In the ongoing battle against the spread of deceptive content, authorities face the dual challenge of holding accountable those behind such activities and addressing the systemic issues that enable their creation and dissemination.
