Dem Candidate Cooke Takes Legal Action Over AI Deepfake Ads by Van Orden

• •Rebecca Cooke issued a cease-and-desist letter to Derrick Van Orden over deepfake videos.
• •The videos falsely attribute controversial statements to Cooke, misleading voters.
• •Cooke's campaign is monitoring Van Orden's social media for further legal action.

Rebecca Cooke, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Wisconsin, has issued a cease-and-desist letter to her Republican opponent, Derrick Van Orden, over his use of AI-generated deepfake videos that falsely depict her making controversial statements. The videos, which have been shared on social media, attribute fabricated quotes to Cooke, including claims about illegal immigration and healthcare that she never made. Cooke's legal team argues that these deepfakes violate Wisconsin law against defamation and mislead voters. In response, Van Orden has continued to post similar content, prompting Cooke to warn of potential legal actions if the behavior persists. The race is closely watched, with polls showing Cooke slightly ahead of Van Orden. This incident highlights the growing concern over the use of AI in political campaigns and its potential to distort public perception.