Potential Risks of Dishonest Elections: Addressing AI-Fueled Manipulation and Microsegmentation in Europe

The upcoming European elections on June 9 present a significant risk of disinformation and political manipulation, as warned by the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (Enisa) back in October. The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology poses a threat, as it can produce convincing texts and hyper-realistic videos that can sway public opinion and influence votes.

While audience segmentation – dividing groups of individuals based on shared characteristics – is a common practice in political marketing, microsegmentation, which analyzes individual interests, is not allowed in the EU due to privacy regulations. However, some parties continue to engage in this illegal practice. In Spain, there was an attempt to reform laws to allow parties to collect personal data from web and social media users regarding their political opinions, but the Constitutional Court ruled against this change. Organizations like Noyb and Xnet are working to expose and combat these tactics to uphold the integrity of elections.

Concerns surrounding microtargeting and the manipulation of voters through digital data analysis are shared among experts and legislators. The practice threatens the democratic process as it can create information bubbles and sway voters based on psychological manipulation. Efforts by the European Commission and platforms like Google, Meta, and TikTok are being made to counter the spread of disinformation and misleading political advertising in the lead-up to the elections.

However, the use of generative AI and deepfake technology in creating hyperrealistic videos poses an additional risk to the integrity of elections. There are fears that these technologies could have a direct influence on voter behavior, as seen in recent reports of foreign interference in elections using AI-generated content. Safeguarding the electoral process and ensuring the security of cyber infrastructures are crucial steps in preserving trust in democratic institutions.

In conclusion, while efforts are being made to combat disinformation and political manipulation ahead of upcoming European elections on June 9th, concerns persist about microsegmentation practices that violate privacy regulations as well as deepfake technology that could sway voter behavior directly through hyperrealistic videos.