NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday issued an advisory to political parties, candidates and campaigners, warning against the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deepfakes targeting rival candidates ahead of Bihar Assembly elections.In a post on X, the poll body shared a press release titled “ECI directs political parties to adhere to MCC and relevant guidelines on the use of AI for synthetic videos targeting rival parties/candidates.”

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With the announcement of the Bihar assembly elections and by-elections to eight constituencies on October 6, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into force. The poll body stressed that the MCC applies not only to traditional campaigning but also to online content, including social media posts and digital advertisements.The ECI advised parties to avoid using AI-based tools to create deepfakes, fabricated or synthetic content that could spread misinformation or distort facts.Criticism of rival parties should focus on their policies, programmes, past record and work. It should not target personal life or circulate unverified allegations.Political parties, candidates and star campaigners are required to clearly label any AI-generated or synthetic content used in campaigning. Suggested labels include “AI-Generated,” “Digitally Enhanced,” or “Synthetic Content.” The poll body also said that a strict watch on social media posts will be maintained to ensure that the election environment remains fair and transparent.The ECI has made arrangements to monitor compliance and warned that violations of these guidelines will be dealt with strictly to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.The Bihar assembly polls are scheduled to be held for all 243 seats in two phases, on November 6 and 11. The results are expected to be announced on November 14.