A manipulated video that mimics the voice of Vice President Kamala Harrissaying things she did not say is raising concerns about the power of artificial intelligence to mislead with Election Day about three months away.
The video gained attention after tech billionaire Elon Musk shared it on his social media platform X on Friday evening without explicitly noting it was originally released as parody.
The video uses many of the same visuals as a real ad that Harris, the likely Democratic president nominee, released last week launching her campaign. But the video swaps out the voice-over audio with another voice that convincingly impersonates Harris.
Elon is a cancer on society.
Conservatives are a cancer on society
Billionaires?
A cancer on society.
What about cancer?
A cancer on society
An Elon on society.
Billionares on society
An Elon to the body, and society
An Elon on society.
This is very recursive and I’m here for it.
Believe it or not, straight to jail.
Ha, nice to see my version of that meme making the rounds. The original one (well, the one I edited anyhow) had it as “powiticians”
They deserve to be taxed until they no longer exist.
Somebody should do something about it.
#Elonectomy2024
Circumcision is not the answer.
(The video) claims Harris is a “diversity hire” because she is a woman and a person of color, and it says she doesn’t know “the first thing about running the country.”
Classy as always right wingers. /s
“This former AG, Senator, and VP has no idea how to run this country!” - Conservative Clowns everywhere.
But the game show host and the hillbilly writer can run the country, Amiright?
Hey now… he was also the inspiration for most of the villains in the movies we watched as kids.
It’s not mentioned in the article, but the fake voice in the video also says “Another trick I have is to try and sound black.” It’s really bad.
Republican leadership and their mythical moderates: “Guys we have to stop the personal attacks, they’re making us look bad and just help Harris”
They seem to sometimes forget who all is in the party lmao. This is who they are.
Always singing the same old songs.
Flood twitter with JD Vance couch fucking AI content and see how fast Musk makes them disappear.
This is the way
Hey guys, it’s me JD, JD Vance here to react to the latest IKEA commercial. I thought the last one was kind of lame, it was really unexciting to be honest. The couches were barely featured. It was mostly bathroom footage, which is totally boring. But maybe they’ve turned it around. I mean, I doubt it, but let’s see. Let’s hit play.
Oh shit, is that a love seat… uuugghhhharrahhh
Ah, so he’s also into the “petite” category!
“My name is JD Vance and I approve this loveseat.”
JD Vance is Sofa King
Or real pictures of Trump’s ear
That is election fraud and Elon should be in jail.
How isn’t this… disparagement? Or defamation or whatever (I’m not a lawyer).
Oh easy, cuz he’s filthy rich.
Whoever created it is more likely to be able to be successfully prosecuted (assuming they could be identified) than the person or people spreading it.
The person who uploaded it to Twitter labeled it as parody. Musk then retweeted it without that parody marker.
You could argue it isn’t parody, but that is tricker.
Surely this is illegal, right? Right??
padme.gif
In Minnesota it is illegal up to 90 days before the election.
I don’t know all the state laws, but there are more.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/artificial-intelligence-deepfakes-2024-election-states-rcna129525
That’s for sexual acts. I’m still reading it though, but where does elections come into play?
Edit: found it. Section 2. Sorry.
Sec. 2. [609.771] USE OF DEEP FAKE TECHNOLOGY TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
(b) “Candidate” means an individual who seeks nomination or election to a federal, statewide, legislative, judicial, or local office including special districts, school districts, towns, home rule charter and statutory cities, and counties.
© “Deep fake” means any video recording, motion-picture film, sound recording, electronic image, or photograph, or any technological representation of speech or conduct substantially derivative thereof:
(1) that is so realistic that a reasonable person would believe it depicts speech or conduct of an individual who did not in fact engage in such speech or conduct; and
(2) the production of which was substantially dependent upon technical means, rather than the ability of another individual to physically or verbally impersonate such individual.
(d) “Depicted individual” means an individual in a deep fake who appears to be engaging in speech or conduct in which the individual did not engage.
Subd. 2. Use of deep fake to influence an election; violation. A person who disseminates a deep fake or enters into a contract or other agreement to disseminate a deep fake is guilty of a crime and may be sentenced as provided in subdivision 3 if the person knows or reasonably should know that the item being disseminated is a deep fake and dissemination:
(1) takes place within 90 days before an election;
(2) is made without the consent of the depicted individual; and
(3) is made with the intent to injure a candidate or influence the result of an election.
Subd. 3. Use of deep fake to influence an election; penalty. A person convicted of violating subdivision 2 may be sentenced as follows:
(1) if the person commits the violation within five years of one or more prior convictions under this section, to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both;
(2) if the person commits the violation with the intent to cause violence or bodily harm, to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both; or
(3) in other cases, to imprisonment for not more than 90 days or to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or both.
Subd. 4. Injunctive relief. A cause of action for injunctive relief may be maintained against any person who is reasonably believed to be about to violate or who is in the course of violating this section by:
(1) the attorney general;
(2) a county attorney or city attorney;
(3) the depicted individual; or
(4) a candidate for nomination or election to a public office who is injured or likely to be injured by dissemination.
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2023, and applies to crimes committed on or after that date.
Also we’re 100 days out. If Elon did this again within 90 days, and he sent the tweet from Texas or something. Would Minnesota or another state law be able to hold him accountable? Since of course the tweet would be seen across the country. I wonder what would happen. The senate is working on a federal law, but I doubt the house will be very cooperative before the election.
So if Musk doesn’t delete his post before (let’s see) August 7, he is still arguably disseminating it and violating the law, huh?
Just read through the part about punishment, and it’d be 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine. Even I could afford that. 🙄
It’s the jail time that’s important. I’d guess Musk would spend a billion dollars to not have to go to jail for 90 days.
It might be… But if it wasn’t, someone shouldn’t make a video of Trump talking about that he already won and that no one needs to vote… Please don’t do this! It would be very wrong if someone did this! His supporters might be filled and stay home…
No one do this!
I… hmmmm… I feel like there’s a secret message here waiting to be decoded.
This Elon Musk Tweet was bought and paid for by Russia and Saudi Arabia— and sponsored by the letter Q and the number 88
Transcript:
“I, Kamala Harris, senior Democrat candidate for President because Joe Biden finally exposed his senility of debate. Thanks, Joe.
I was selected because I am the ultimate diversity hire. I’m both a woman and a person of color. So if you criticize anything I say, you’re both sexist and racist.
I may not know the first thing about running the country, but remember, that’s a good thing if you’re a deep state puppet. I had four years under the tutelage of the ultimate deep state puppet, a wonderful mentor, Joe Biden. Joe taught me rule number one, carefully hide your total incompetence.
I take insignificant things and I discuss them as if they’re significant. And I believe that exploring the significance of the insignificant is in itself significant. Talking about the significance of the passage of time, right? The significance of the passage of time. “So when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time, and there is such great significance to the passage of time.”
And Another trick is trying to sound black. I pretend to celebrate Kwanza, and in my speeches, I always do my best Barack Obama impression. “So hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type.”
And okay, look, maybe my work addressing the root causes of the border crisis were catastrophic, but my knowledge of international politics is truly shocking. “The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea. It is an alliance that is strong and enduring.”
Just remember, when voting this November, it is important to see what can be unburdened by what has been. And by what has been… I mean, Joe Biden. Do you think the country went to over the past four years? You ain’t seen nothing yet. (Cackle).”
It always baffles me to say she’s unqualified when she objectively has more relevant work experience than Trump.
Also the “try to sound black” part is just… there’s a lot to unpack there.
Yes, but woman.
That’s all the convincing the MAGA crowd need to view someone as unqualified for leadership.
It’s amazing people don’t see him as a racist manchild.
You’d have to be astonishingly stupid to think this was real. Unfortunately …
“Never underestimate the power of stupidity in large groups.”
Less stupidity than cynicism.
¿Por Qué No Los Dos?
Cynicism implies you know better but you’re playing along for political gain.
Yeah, it really just depends on who you are talking about. I guess the stupid ones make life easier by eating up whatever bad faith arguments the cynical ones put out there.
It’s MAGA, Trump told us that he loved the uneducated right out of the gate
An old well developed technology needs to be adopted and the public needs to be educated on its use. AI cannot defeat cryptographic signatures which could be used to verify the authorship and the integrity of any digital content. I would support laws that help facilitate mass adoption of this technology. PGP is 33 years old.
It still bugs me how little general public knows about this. Even shows don’t have a clue, or are scared to explain this.
Like this is a solved problem, please please please just use the solution that has been here for the entire time.
The “general public” has very little knowledge about most of what happens in society.
They don’t understand where everything that keeps them alive comes from, let alone how the internet or deerpfakes or so-called “AI” works.
Probably not pgp as it’s been thoroughly broken… but I get what you’re saying
Pgp is an application. Algorithms get broken, not applications.
Eh. Old small RSA keys can be broken and PGP is quirky enough to not be good for automatic scripted validation. But 4096 bit RSA or ECC or newer PQ algorithms still works fine and there’s newer schemes for signatures that are solid
Please renew your keys.
I get that the whole asymetric encryption is (as everything security related) only as strong as the people following the best practices, but there is no other way to do it.
This is, what, how many total times Elon has shared something like this on Twitter where his intention has been (at the very least) dubious?
I find very few reasons to give him the benefit of the doubt here by treating it as some “haha funny meme XD” reaction from him.
Video of Kamala: “I like bad things! HAHA! Bad things are good, aktuly! BAD BAD BAD! Elect me and bad things will happen! I’m just saying it out loud right now!”
American who hates Democrats: “That sounds exactly like Kamala. I’m convinced and I’m not going to vote for here.”
American who likes Democrats: “The AI has hijacked our democratic process.”
meanwhile, the Georgia Sec. State removes 80k registered democrats from its voting rolls
‘The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.’
Einstein
raising concerns about AI in politics
Anyone else more concerned about narcissistic bigoted billionaires in politics? 🙋♂️
Why not both?
Definitely both – although still probably better to be more concerned about the billionaires
Any lawyers know if this could be prosecuted? This seems pretty big though I’m not familiar with US’s defamation laws when it comes to politics and deepfakes.
Shouldn’t conercerns already be raised pretty high.
Indeed! I’m also extremely concerned about musk/billionaires in politics. Gee, am I over reacting? /s
It was one of the first anyone thought of. Not sure how they think this is a new concern.
I can’t believe a rightwing piece of shit would knowingly spread mis/disinformation. Except that they all do. Lying liars.
Corrupt politicians/celebrities have been killed for way less here in Mexico. Why the hell do you allow these people to get away with such massive things? Just imagine if AI videos were 100% flawless, this would be evil at its peak
