New York Attorney General Letitia James has released a guide titled “Protecting New Yorkers from AI-Generated Election Misinformation” to help residents identify and report misinformation created by artificial intelligence (AI) concerning the upcoming November elections. AI tools can produce fake or misleading videos, images, or audio that impersonate individuals or candidates, potentially influencing voter behavior. Such content can cause confusion and have significant impacts when rapidly disseminated through social media platforms.
“New Yorkers deserve to be well-informed, not misinformed, about their choices for the upcoming November elections,” said Attorney General James. “AI-created deepfakes that spread lies about candidates, policy proposals, and even where New Yorkers can access the polls all represent a dangerous threat to democracy. The guide my office created will be a useful resource to help voters better identify AI-generated misinformation and to empower them to arrive at the polls with accurate information about the elections and the candidate they wish to support. I urge New Yorkers to be more careful about the sources they use and the information they consume about the elections.”
The guide provides examples of how AI-generated materials may be used by malicious actors to spread misinformation and create doubt in the electoral process. It also includes tips on recognizing deepfakes and avoiding the dissemination of misinformation via social media. AI tools can fabricate realistic photographs, videos, or audio recordings without an individual's knowledge or consent—known as deepfakes—which may falsely depict someone making statements or taking actions they never did.
To protect against AI-generated election misinformation, Attorney General James advises:
- Consulting state and local boards of elections for accurate voting information.
- Avoiding reliance on chatbots for election-related questions.
- Reporting suspected deepfake content on social media platforms.
- Verifying election information from unofficial sources with official ones.
- Being skeptical of emotionally charged or sensational online content related to elections.
- Not sharing unverified content suspected of being fake.
- Recognizing that while some tools detect AI-generated content, they are not always accurate.
Attorney General James encourages reporting any misleading or inaccurate election information directly to her office via an online complaint form under "Election Misinformation."
Attorney General James has actively protected voting rights both within New York state and nationally. In August 2024, she defended New York’s Early Mail Voter Act allowing registered voters to apply for mail-in ballots for any eligible election. In April 2024, she secured up to $1.25 million from two individuals who intimidated Black voters with robocalls. Her office routinely issues alerts before general and primary elections informing New Yorkers of their voting rights.
This initiative is co-handled by Assistant Attorneys General Jina John (Bureau of Internet and Technology), Derek Borchardt (Civil Rights Bureau), Section Chief Lindsay McKenzie (Civil Rights Bureau), along with Bureau Chiefs Kim Berger (Internet and Technology) and Sandra Park (Civil Rights). Both bureaus operate under First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy's oversight.