Comelec to hold forum on guidelines for socmed, AI, deepfakes use in Eleksyon 2025

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold a forum with stakeholders and political parties in relation to its guidelines on the use and regulation of social media, artificial intelligence (AI), and deepfakes in the 2025 national and local elections (NLE), its chairperson said Monday.

Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the forum will be conducted following the release of the guidelines this week. 

“Noong mga nakaraang linggo, ine-edit na lang natin ang guidelines para sa social media, AI, para sa deepfakes. Susubukan na po ng Comelec for the first time na maglabas ng panintunan sa paggamit ng AI at kaparusahan sa mga hindi susunod o lalabag dito,” Garcia told reporters on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony of the construction of the foundation of the new Comelec office building in Pasay City. 

(Over the past few weeks, we've been editing the guidelines for social media, AI, and deepfakes. The Comelec will attempt for the first time to issue a directive on the use of AI and penalties for those who fail to comply or violate these rules.)

“Pangako natin yan, commitment natin, sapagkat naniniwala tayo para sa kampanya ng 2025, sigurado marami ang gagamit ng AI, ng deepfakes at iba pang platform. Kasama na ang paggamit ng social media, malawakan yan. Dapat ipakita ng Comelec na may pangil at ngipin 'yung ating mga ipapatupag na patakaran. Otherwise, wala pong susunod. Equal opportunity for all, 'yan ang aming panuntunan,” he said.

(We promise this, it's our commitment, because we believe that in the 2025 campaign, many will use AI, deepfakes, and other platforms. This includes social media, which is vast. The Comelec must show that it has teeth and can enforce its regulations. Otherwise, no one will follow. Equal opportunity for all is our principle.)

Several experts, including award-winning data scientist and technologist Dominic "Doc" Ligot, earlier warned that AI and deepfakes would play a bigger role on the campaign period for the 2025 midterm elections.

In anticipation for the spread of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation relate to the elections, the Comelec proposed to the en banc to prohibit candidates from using AI technology and deepfakes in their electoral campaigns in June.

In July, the Comelec announced it would come up with a set of guidelines for the use of AI in the May 2025 elections.

A task force tasked to protect the upcoming elections against AI-driven misinformation and disinformation through the monitoring, and regulating of published content on quad-media such as TV, radio, print, and online was launched last month.

“Napakadaming definition. Kinakailangan i-define ano ang AI, deep fakes t napakadami pang definition kaya naman plano natin na mag-conduct isa pang forum muli para ipaliwanag 'yung guidelines natin at maipatupad nang tama lalo na sa political parties,” said Garcia.

(There are numerous definitions. We need to define what AI and deep fakes are, and since there are many definitions, we plan to hold another forum to explain our guidelines and ensure their proper implementation, especially for political parties.)

“More than anybody else, kinakailangan sa kanila maipaliwanag paano ito at syempre mga PR firms, social media influencers at users. Kinakailangan mainitindihan nila sapagkat baka maya maya sila pala ay lumalabag na sa panuntunan ng Comelec,” he said.

(More than anyone else, they need to understand how this works, including PR firms, social media influencers, and users. They need to comprehend it carefully, lest they unknowingly violate Comelec regulations.)

The Philippines will hold its mid-term elections in May 2025. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News