As social media guardrails fade and AI deepfakes go mainstream, experts warn of impact on elections

By ALI SWENSON and CHRISTINE FERNANDO
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Experts are warning that the spread of misinformation could get worse in the coming presidential election contest. The safeguards that attempted to counter the bogus claims the last time are eroding, while the tools and systems that create and spread them are only getting stronger. Artificial intelligence tools have made it far cheaper and easier to spread the kind of misinformation that can mislead voters and influence elections. And social media companies that once invested heavily in correcting the record have shifted their priorities. That’s leading some experts to fear “a tsunami of misinformation” in the 2024 election.