ECP Proposes New Rules to Curb AI Misuse During Elections

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed 12 amendments to the 2023 codes of conduct for political parties, candidates, media organisations and election observers to address the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) during elections.

The draft amendments aim to regulate AI-generated material, prevent deceptive deepfakes and improve transparency in election-related communication. The commission has invited public and stakeholder feedback by November 20.

According to sources in the ECP, the proposed changes include five amendments for media organisations, five for political parties and candidates, and three for election observers.

Under the proposed media rules, news outlets would have to clearly identify content created or modified using AI whenever it is broadcast, published or released. Media organisations would also be allowed to use AI tools for preparing, translating, presenting and analysing election-related material, provided they disclose their use and remain responsible for the content’s accuracy and authenticity.

The draft prohibits the use of deepfake technology to produce fabricated images, voices or statements of political leaders, candidates, election officials, members of the judiciary, armed forces personnel and other state officials when the material is false, defamatory or intended to ridicule them.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority, and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency would monitor AI-generated content published without proper disclosure and report violations to the ECP. Media houses could also be directed to remove misleading material or label it correctly.

For election observers, the proposed amendments require vigilance against AI-driven manipulation during the observation process and immediate reporting of suspected cases to the commission. Observers would also be barred from using AI to create, modify or enhance their observations, factual findings, photographs, videos or reports submitted to the ECP.

The proposed rules for political parties and candidates would require all AI-generated or manipulated campaign material, including deepfake images, videos and audio clips, to carry clear labels identifying it as AI-generated.

The draft also prohibits AI-generated content designed to mislead voters by falsely portraying a person’s image, words or actions. It further bars the creation of fabricated, ridiculing or defamatory material targeting political leaders, candidates, election officials, members of the judiciary, armed forces personnel and other state officials through deepfake technology.

Political parties and candidates would be required to retain AI-generated content produced during the election process. The proposals also seek to prevent the use of AI-powered bots, automated accounts and similar tools to artificially boost online engagement or manufacture fake trends.

The use of AI for voter outreach through robocalls or voice-cloned messages would also be subject to disclosure requirements. Under the draft, each call or message would have to clearly state at the beginning that it was generated using AI.

The proposed changes are intended to strengthen transparency and accountability in election campaigns and media coverage, while reducing the risks of deceptive digital content and AI-assisted manipulation of voters. The amendments remain proposals, with feedback invited before the commission proceeds further.