Deep Fake Election Video: Legal Violations
- SEOUL, South korea (Yonhap) — The Korea Internet Self-Regulation Institution (KISO) and the National Election Commission (NEC) are jointly tackling the spread of misleading deepfake videos ahead of...
- KISO announced Monday, April 14, 2025, that a meeting was held on April 11 with the NEC to discuss the operation of internet information services during the election...
- Representatives from major South Korean online platforms, including Naver, Kakao, Nate, East Aid, Pompu, SLR Club, Scatter Lab, Tunib, and Ben Ben, participated in the meeting. These platforms...
KISO, Election Commission Address Deepfake Concerns Ahead of Presidential Vote
Table of Contents
- KISO, Election Commission Address Deepfake Concerns Ahead of Presidential Vote
- Meeting Focuses on Internet Regulation During Election Period
- Major Online Platforms pledge Cooperation
- NEC Outlines Election Law Requirements
- Deepfake Ban Highlighted
- Public Election Act Addresses AI-Generated Content
- Past Incidents Cited
- Voters’ Common sense Key
- KISO Pledges Active Support
- election-Related Policy Standards Applied
- Deepfake Detection and Election Integrity: A Q&A
SEOUL, South korea (Yonhap) — The Korea Internet Self-Regulation Institution (KISO) and the National Election Commission (NEC) are jointly tackling the spread of misleading deepfake videos ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Both organizations emphasized that the creation and distribution of election-related deepfakes containing misinformation constitute a violation of election laws.
Meeting Focuses on Internet Regulation During Election Period
KISO announced Monday, April 14, 2025, that a meeting was held on April 11 with the NEC to discuss the operation of internet information services during the election period. The discussions centered on ensuring fair and accurate information dissemination online.
Major Online Platforms pledge Cooperation
Representatives from major South Korean online platforms, including Naver, Kakao, Nate, East Aid, Pompu, SLR Club, Scatter Lab, Tunib, and Ben Ben, participated in the meeting. These platforms encompass a wide range of services, from search engines and social media to community forums and AI chatbots.
NEC Outlines Election Law Requirements
During the meeting, an NEC official detailed key provisions of the Public Election Act relevant to online operators. These provisions cover areas such as permissible election campaigning activities and regulations surrounding election polls conducted via the internet and other communication networks. The NEC urged KISO members to actively cooperate with requests from the commission to remove content that violates these laws.
Deepfake Ban Highlighted
A significant portion of the discussion focused on the ban on using deepfake videos for election campaigning, which has been in effect since January 2024. The NEC provided examples of actual election law violations involving deepfakes.
Public Election Act Addresses AI-Generated Content
The current Public Election Act specifically addresses AI-generated virtual sounds, images, and videos that are difficult to distinguish from reality. The law prohibits the use of such content in election campaigns.
Past Incidents Cited
The Democratic Party candidate’s campaign previously reported the creation of a deepfake video purporting to show Kim Hye-kyung, wife of a prominent politician. Additionally, numerous deepfake videos falsely promoting certain presidential candidates have circulated on social media platforms like TikTok.
Voters’ Common sense Key
The NEC emphasized the importance of voters using their “common sense” to distinguish between genuine content and manipulated deepfakes, acknowledging the difficulty in discerning the two.
KISO Pledges Active Support
Kim Sung-deok, head of KISO’s policy team, stated, “We will actively cooperate with the NEC’s measures during the presidential election period.” He added, “We will do our best to support fair elections by supporting member companies at the KISO level.”
KISO has implemented its “Policy on Election-related Internet Information Service Standards” across all member companies in anticipation of the upcoming presidential elections.
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Contact: csm@yna.co.kr
Deepfake Detection and Election Integrity: A Q&A
This article explores the efforts of the Korea Internet Self-Regulation Institution (KISO) and the National Election Commission (NEC) to combat deepfakes and misinformation in the upcoming South Korean presidential election, based on recent announcements.We’ll dive into the key issues and what these organizations are doing to ensure fair and accurate information dissemination.
Q: what are KISO and the NEC doing about deepfakes in the upcoming South Korean presidential election?
A: KISO and the NEC are working together to address the spread of misleading deepfake videos and misinformation related to the upcoming presidential election in South Korea. The organizations view the creation and distribution of such content as violations of election laws.
Q: What specific actions are being taken?
A: A key aspect of their joint efforts involves regulating internet information services during the election period. This includes:
Collaboration: KISO and the NEC held a meeting to discuss the operation of internet information services.
Cooperation: Online platforms pledge to assist in removing content that violates election laws.
Policy Implementation: KISO has implemented specific “Policy on Election-related Internet Information Service Standards” across its member companies.
Deepfake Ban Enforcement: Focusing on the ban on deepfake videos in election campaigns.
Q: Which organizations are involved in this initiative?
A: The primary organizations involved are:
Korea Internet self-Regulation Institution (KISO): The organization responsible for self-regulating internet content in South Korea.
National Election Commission (NEC): The governmental body responsible for overseeing elections.
Q: Which online platforms are participating in this initiative?
A: Major South Korean online platforms are participating, including:
Naver
Kakao
Nate
East Aid
Pompu
SLR Club
Scatter Lab
Tunib
* Ben Ben
Q: What specific election laws are relevant to this issue?
A: The Public Election Act is central to this effort. the NEC detailed how this law applies to online operators, covering election campaigning rules, advertisement conduct, and regulations of online polls. The law specifically prohibits the use of AI-generated content, including virtual sounds, images, and videos that are tough to distinguish from reality.
Q: When did the ban on using deepfake videos for election campaigning go into effect?
A: The ban on using deepfake videos for election campaigning has been in effect since January 2024.
Q: What examples of deepfake election law violations have occurred?
A: The NEC has provided examples of past violations, indicating the use and circulation of deepfakes. Instances include a deepfake video, which purported to show Kim Hye-kyung, and other videos falsely promoting particular presidential candidates circulated on social media platforms like TikTok.
Q: What role is the public expected to play in distinguishing between real and fake content?
A: the NEC emphasizes the importance of voters using their ”common sense” to distinguish between genuine content and manipulated deepfakes.
Q: What is KISO’s commitment to supporting fair elections?
A: kim Sung-deok, head of KISO’s policy team, stated that KISO will actively cooperate with the NEC’s measures during the presidential election period. They will support fair elections by assisting member companies.
Q: Where can I find more information about this topic?
A: You can contact csm@yna.co.kr for additional details.