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Australian Electoral Commission
During an election, people or groups may try to influence the way you vote.
You may come across false or misleading information about the voting process. AI-generated text, images, video and audio could be used to try and deceive you about where to vote, how to complete ballot papers or why the process may not be trustworthy.
Anyone can be affected.
Australia has one of the most trusted electoral systems in the world. It belongs to voters, and we all have a responsibility to protect it. Don’t risk what we have.
Stop and consider the content and source of what you see, hear and read about the voting process. Check or ignore it, but don’t share or repost it.
You can also report it to the place where you saw it.
For many platforms, click on the three dots (…) or ‘share’ icon to report content. Check terms of service or help pages for full instructions.
Tell DiGi if you think a platform who is a signatory has breached the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation.
If you see abusive, threatening or other seriously harmful content, report it to the eSafety Commission and/or the relevant authorities such as the Australian Federal Police or State and Territory police.
New technologies offer great opportunities, but they can also make it harder, even for the most internet-savvy of us!
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is the technology that enables machines to mimic human intelligence. Examples include virtual assistants like Siri and Google Assistant, self-driving vehicles and recommendations on platforms like Netflix or Spotify.
Generative AI can create something new, without any human input, and continues to learn and evolve. Examples include writing an article, producing new music, or painting a picture. There are also ‘deep fakes’, which appear to be genuine recordings of people but are created by complex computer programs. They can be images, audio clips or video clips. They can simulate real people or create entirely new people.
This can create serious problems for democracy and can undermine trust both in our own choices as well as the electoral system.
If it seems unlikely, ask yourself whether it is true.
Others might be questioning it too. Try searching for information that either supports or contradicts what’s being presented.
Question information being presented in a shocking way.
Strong emotions can cloud judgement, so it’s important to analyse such information carefully.
Zoom in to check for errors in the details (blurring or looking too ‘perfect’).
Look at the hands and mouths of people... while AI is improving, there are often signs an image is created by AI.
The AEC will provide further resources – web, text and video based – during the election for people to understand the potential danger of AI in election communication.
You can also follow our social media accounts to hear directly from the AEC.
The AEC acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
