The Content of the Video
The video Musk shared includes clips of Harris from a recent campaign video, but with a voiceover that falsely portrays her criticizing President Joe Biden and her own qualifications.
Source: Getty Images
The altered video was posted by a YouTube account named “Mr Reagan” and was labeled as a parody. However, the lack of a label on Musk’s retweet raises concerns.
Voiceover Details
In the altered video, a voice mimicking Harris says, “I, Kamala Harris, am your Democrat candidate for president because Joe Biden finally exposed his senility at the debate.”
Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia
The voiceover goes on to describe Harris as the “ultimate diversity hire” due to her gender and race, adding a layer of racial and gender-based mockery.
Campaign Response
Harris campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg strongly condemned Musk and former President Donald Trump.
Source: Freepik
She stated, “We believe the American people want the real freedom, opportunity, and security Vice President Harris is offering; not the fake, manipulated lies of Elon Musk and Donald Trump.”
Potential Deepfake Concerns
Alexios Mantzarlis, director of the Security, Trust, and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech, suggested that the altered content could be considered a deepfake.
Source: Freepik
He noted, “In recent-ish elections in Argentina, India, and elsewhere, we saw deepfakes being used primarily for surface-level deception.” This raises the stakes for identifying and labeling such content.
X’s Misleading Media Policy
X’s policy on misleading media states, “You may not share synthetic, manipulated, or out-of-context media that may deceive or confuse people and lead to harm.”
Source: Wikimedia
The policy also mentions that posts containing misleading media may be labeled to provide context, a step that was definitely not taken in Musk’s retweet.
Senator Klobuchar's Reaction
Senator Amy Klobuchar accused Musk of violating X’s own policy, writing on X, “If @elonmusk and X let this go and don’t label it as altered AI content, they’ll be unleashing an entire election season of fake AI voice and image-altered content with no limits.”
Source: Freepik
Her statement refers to the potential consequences of unchecked misleading media.
Previous Instances of AI Manipulation
This is not the first instance of AI-manipulated content in this campaign. Earlier this year, a political consultant used AI to create a robocall impersonating Biden, falsely discouraging participation in New Hampshire’s primary election.
Source: Wikimedia
Such incidents highlight the growing use of AI in spreading political misinformation.
The Impact of Musk's Retweet
Musk’s retweet of the video had been viewed nearly 128 million times by the time of this writing.
Source: Wikimedia
The spread of potentially misleading content is stirring up serious concerns about its influence on public perception and the integrity of our election process.
Calls for Accountability
Various stakeholders are calling for greater accountability in how social media platforms handle misleading content.
Source: UK Government/Wikimedia Commons
The Harris campaign and other political figures emphasize the need for transparency and adherence to platform policies to prevent the spread of misinformation.
The Role of Social Media in Elections
The controversy shows the critical role of social media in modern political campaigns.
Source: dole777/Unsplash
With the increasing use of AI and deepfakes, the challenge of ensuring the authenticity of content is more significant than ever, necessitating robust policies and vigilant enforcement.
Future Implications
The incident with Musk’s retweet serves as a cautionary tale about the power and responsibility of social media platforms.
Source: Steve Jurvetson/Wikimedia Commons
As the November election rapidly approaches, the importance of identifying and addressing misleading content will be vital in maintaining a fair and informed democratic process.