Despite Pledges to Remove Election 'Deepfakes,' 32% Remain Online

[Anchor]

It is illegal to produce and use "deepfake" videos using AI technology during elections. Although the National Election Commission has been requesting platforms such as Google and Meta to delete them, more than 30% of the problematic videos from the June 3 local elections still have not been removed.

Here is an exclusive report by reporter Park Chan-beom.

[Reporter]

"[Candidate Chu, please revive Daegu's economy.]"

"[Understood, I will definitely do so.]"

"[We should also welcome the 'Daegu Princess' at least once...]"

This is a video circulated by someone during the June 3 local elections.

Images of former President Park Geun-hye and Daegu mayoral candidates at the time reel off remarks they never actually made.

It is a fake video created with AI.

"[Your words are truly remarkable.]"

"[Could that 'remarkable' be referring to my 'remarkable'?]"

"[No, I am 'ready and able.']"

This, too, is fake.

Under the Public Official Election Act, no one is permitted to produce or post images or videos made using artificial intelligence technology for election campaigns starting 90 days prior to election day.

The National Election Commission requested relevant platforms to remove "election deepfake posts," but there are still numerous instances where they remain untouched.

According to data from the National Election Commission, as of the end of August, the deletion rate stood at 75% for the 2024 general election and 77.1% for last year's presidential election, while the rate for the June 3 local elections reached only 68.3%.

The lack of cooperation from foreign platforms is cited as the primary reason 32% remain unremoved.

Looking at deletion rates by platform for the June 3 local elections, domestic portals such as Naver and Daum reached 100%, but among foreign platforms, Google recorded 69.8% and Meta stood at just 65.3%.

The National Election Commission laid out plans to secure a budget of 3.5 billion won to develop detection programs and other measures, but critics point out that guidance to ensure deletions should come first.

[Jin Jong-oh / Member of the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee (People Power Party): Rather than merely detecting and searching, the NEC must establish practical countermeasures in coordination with overseas platforms so that actual deletions take place.]

The National Election Commission explained to SBS, "Domestic law does not apply to foreign corporations, and their standards for determining illegal posts also differ from domestic ones." Google and Meta did not state their positions.

(Video by Lee Seung-hwan and Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing by Nam Il | Graphics by Park Taeyoung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.