Deepfakes provide ‘perfect storm’ for hijackers in general election – Cleverly

25 February 2024, 23:24

James Cleverly
James Cleverly child protection policy announcement. Picture: PA

The Home Secretary is due to meet with Silicon Valley bosses to urge greater action to protect democracy, The Times reported.

Deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence (AI) provide the “perfect storm” for those looking to hijack the upcoming general election, the Home Secretary has warned.

James Cleverley said the era of these technologies misleading and disrupting important democratic decisions was “already in play”, The Times reported.

It comes as Mr Cleverly is reportedly due to meet with Silicon Valley bosses to urge greater action from large technology companies to protect democracy.

Earlier this month some of the companies signed a pact to voluntarily adopt “reasonable precautions” to prevent AI tools from being used to disrupt democratic elections around the world.

However, this pact did not commit to banning or removing deepfakes.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan fell victim to a fake AI recording of him supposedly making inflammatory remarks in the run up to Armistice Day protests last year.

Increasingly today the battle of ideas and policies takes place in the ever-changing and expanding digital sphere

James Cleverly

The material shared on social media featured a simulation of Mr Khan’s voice saying he did not care “about the Remembrance weekend” and suggesting the commemorations be postponed to allow for a pro-Palestinian march to go ahead.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed a UK general election will take place at some point this year, although an exact date has not yet been set.

Mr Cleverly told The Times that “increasingly today the battle of ideas and policies takes place in the ever-changing and expanding digital sphere”.

He said: “The era of deepfake and AI-generated content to mislead and disrupt is already in play.

“The landscape it is inserted into needs its rules, transparency and safeguards for its users.

“The questions asked about digital content and the sources of digital content are no less relevant than those asked about the content and sources at dispatch boxes, newsrooms or billboard ads.”

Mr Cleverly said “malign actors” and criminals would attempt to use generative AI to quickly produce thousands of illicit images or deepfakes, which could then be shared unpunished on encrypted services and with millions on social media within seconds.

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

A child’s hand pressing a key of a laptop keyboard

Charity ‘appalled’ at reports online safety laws could be cut for US trade deal

School children during a Year 5 class at a primary school

Education Secretary: More men needed in classrooms to be positive role models

Games controller

Cult classic Shenmue named most influential game of all time in Bafta poll

Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood (PA)

Parents crying out for online regulation, MP Eastwood says

TikTok is set to be banned in the United States later this week unless a buyer emerges.

Amazon makes last-minute bid to buy TikTok as deadline looms

Nintendo Switch 2

Everything you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 will release on June 5, 2025

Nintendo Switch 2: Exciting reveal, but why is it more expensive here?

A Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo confirms Switch 2 will launch on June 5

Tesla dealership damage

Tesla sales tumble to weakest since 2022 amid Musk backlash

The Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo reveals release date for long-awaited Switch 2 console

Roblox has introduced a slew of new safety features.

Gaming platform Roblox adds slew of safety fixtures for parents to monitor their children’s accounts

Meta's decision to change its content policies was heavily criticised by online safety experts (PA)

Majority oppose Meta’s rollback of safety rules, charity says

A child's hands pressing laptop keys

Regulation and technology can help combat spread of online misogyny, expert says

Raspberry Pi 4 micro computer

Raspberry Pi profits tumble after supply shortages

An RNLI lifeboat brings a group of people thought to be migrants into Dover

UK to work with allies and social media to tackle people smuggling adverts

A child using an Apple iPhone smartphone

School curriculum resources to teach children about risks of in-game purchases