Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court established new standards on artificial intelligence deepfakes in political advertising, according to a ruling issued by the court. The regulations target synthetic media ahead of the October elections, aiming to curb misinformation and manipulation of candidate images across the country.
The court adopted the new framework late Tuesday while handling a case involving opposition Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, according to judicial records. The senator used generative artificial intelligence during a party convention to display synthetic imagery of his jailed father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, endorsing his campaign against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Court Rules on Flávio Bolsonaro AI Convention Video
By a 4-3 vote, the electoral tribunal declined to penalize Senator Bolsonaro over the convention video, according to the court’s decision. Justices determined that the specific deepfake did not constitute a public political advertisement because it was realized for a private event before his candidacy was officially announced.
The underlying event took place in July at a Liberal Party convention in São Paulo, where a synthetic version of the former president urged attendees to support his son’s presidential bid. Jair Bolsonaro was convicted in November to 27 years of prison for leading an attempted coup d’état.
New Legal Definition and Broadcast Rules for October Vote
In a separate 5-2 vote during the same session, the electoral tribunal established an official definition for deepfakes in political campaigns, according to tribunal filings. The court defined the technology as synthetic content produced or manipulated via artificial intelligence or equivalent technology with a degree of realism to create, reproduce or alter the image, voice, or speech of any living, deceased, or fictional person.
These standards govern vast amounts of campaign material ahead of the October 4 first-round vote, according to election guidelines. Brazilian media outlets must dedicate 14 minutes daily to nearly 1,000 thirty-second campaign spots, alongside dedicated 12.5-minute broadcast blocks reserved exclusively for presidential contenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What constitutes an AI deepfake under the new Brazilian electoral rules? According to the Superior Electoral Court, it is any synthetic or manipulated content created with AI that achieves a degree of realism to alter a person’s image, voice, or speech.
- When do the new regulations take effect for candidates? The rules apply to content leading up to the first round of voting on October 4.
- Did the court punish Senator Flávio Bolsonaro for using an AI-generated Jair Bolsonaro? No, the court voted 4-3 against sanctions because the video appeared at a private event rather than a public political advertisement.
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