Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a caution to candidates and political parties regarding the misuse of AI-generated or manipulated content. The ECI revealed that since March 15, around 11,000 illegal social media posts have been taken down.
In a statement, the ECI emphasized the importance of responsible and ethical use of social media and digital platforms by all stakeholders. It urged compliance with existing legal provisions, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, IT Rules, 2021, and the Model Code of Conduct.
The Election Commission instructed political parties, candidates, and campaign representatives to ensure that any synthetically generated or AI-altered content used for campaigning is clearly identified as “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content.” Transparency and voter trust should be maintained by disclosing the originating entity.
The ECI stated that social media content violating the Model Code of Conduct, causing disruptions, spreading false narratives against the polling process, or affecting law and order is under strict monitoring and action by State IT Nodal Officers designated under the IT Act. Any misleading or unlawful AI-generated or manipulated content must be addressed within three hours of being reported to social media platforms.
The Commission also reminded about the provisions under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which prohibit the display of election-related content in polling areas during the 48-hour silence period before the polls conclude. Media platforms, including television, radio, print, and social media, are required to adhere strictly to these regulations.
Citizens, political parties, and candidates can report Model Code of Conduct violations through the C-Vigil Module on ECINET. Since March 15, a total of 3,23,099 complaints have been lodged using the C-Vigil App in the ongoing elections, with 96.01% of them resolved within the stipulated 100-minute timeframe.
