ECP warns political parties against using AI, deepfakes to deceive voters

• Parties told not to use deceptive AI content.
• Deepfakes targeting candidates, officials strictly prohibited.
• AI-generated campaign material must carry clear disclosure.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed stringent restrictions on political parties and candidates using artificial intelligence to deceive voters, warning against deepfakes, manipulated content and AI-generated fake trends during elections.

The proposed amendments to the "Code of Conduct for Political Parties" bar parties, candidates, election agents and their supporters from creating or disseminating AI-generated or manipulated material likely to deceive voters about its authenticity or misrepresent a person's words, actions or likeness.

Under the proposed rules, campaign material generated or substantially altered through AI — including deepfake images, videos, audio clips and synthetic voices — would have to carry "clear and conspicuous disclosure" identifying it as AI-generated or AI-assisted.

Such material would also have to comply with election laws and the relevant code of conduct.

The ECP has proposed a strict prohibition on using AI-powered deepfake technology to create false, derogatory or defamatory synthetic likenesses, voices or statements of candidates, party leaders, their supporters, election officials, members of the judiciary, the armed forces or other state functionaries.

Political parties, candidates and election agents would also be barred from using AI-based bots, automated accounts or similar tools to create fake trends and engagement — including likes, comments, shares and followers — aimed at giving a false impression of public support.

The proposed code would also require parties and candidates using AI for voter outreach through robocalls or voice-cloned messages to disclose at the beginning of the call or message that the content was AI-generated.

Political parties and candidates would be required to retain records of all AI-generated or AI-assisted campaign content used during the election period and provide complete details to the ECP whenever required.

Media, observers also face AI restrictions

The proposed amendments extend beyond political parties, with separate provisions covering media organisations and election observers.

Print, electronic and digital media, journalists, newspapers, television channels and social media influencers would be required to clearly label and disclose AI-generated or manipulated election-related material, including synthetic images, videos, audio and voice-cloned content, at the time of broadcast, publication or circulation.

The proposed media code would prohibit the use of deepfake technology to create false, derogatory or defamatory synthetic likenesses, voices or statements involving candidates, party leaders, their supporters, election officials, members of the judiciary, the armed forces and other state functionaries.

Media organisations would be allowed to use AI for election-related content generation, translation, anchoring or analysis, provided they disclose its use to their audiences and remain responsible for the accuracy and authenticity of AI-assisted content.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Social Media Protection Regulatory Authority (SMPRA) and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) would be required to monitor print, electronic, digital and social media for undisclosed or unlabelled AI-generated election-related content.

They would also have to take appropriate action in cases of non-compliance and submit reports to the poll organising body.

Media organisations and social media platforms would, upon the direction of the ECP or another regulatory authority, have to promptly take down or correctly relabel AI-generated or manipulated election-related content found to be undisclosed or misleading.

Election observers, meanwhile, would be required to remain vigilant about AI-generated or manipulated content, including deepfakes, synthetic audio and videos, and AI-generated disinformation encountered during their observation of the electoral process.

They would have to report such cases promptly to the ECP without further disseminating the content.

The proposed rules would also prohibit observers from using AI tools to fabricate, alter or embellish their observations, findings, photographs, videos or reports submitted to the commission. Their reports would have to reflect factual, genuine and first-hand assessments of the electoral process.

The ECP said AI, as an emerging technology, had implications for election stakeholders and cited its constitutional responsibility to ensure that elections were conducted honestly, justly and fairly, and to guard against corrupt practices, including manipulation of the electoral process through misleading AI-generated content.

The proposed provisions have been uploaded to the ECP's official website and shared with stakeholders, who have been invited to submit feedback and suggestions to the ECP Secretariat in Islamabad by November 20, 2026.