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Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google noted that it will make it compulsory for advertisers to disclose election ads which use digitally altered content to show real or realistic-looking people or events.
“We believe that users should have information to make informed decisions when viewing election ads that contain synthetic content that has been digitally altered or generated,” said the company under its disclosure requirements for synthetic content.
Google noted that examples of ad content which would require a clear and conspicuous disclosure include — an ad with synthetic content which makes it appear as if a person is saying or doing something they did not say or do; an ad with synthetic content that alters footage of a real event or generates a realistic portrayal of an event to show scenes that did not actually take place.
The U.S. tech giant added that acceptable disclosure language will vary depending on specific context of the ad, examples may include — audio was computer generated; image does not depict real events; video content was synthetically generated.
The update to the disclosure requirements under the political content policy needs advertisers to select a checkbox in the “altered or synthetic content” section of their campaign settings, as per a report from Reuters.
The growth of generative AI has increased concerns about its potential misuse. The rise of deepfakes, manipulated content to misrepresent someone, have also raised issues.
Google noted that it will make an in-ad disclosure for feeds and shorts on phones and in-streams on computers and television. For other formats, advertisers will be needed to provide a “prominent disclosure” for users, the report noted.
Last year, Meta Platforms (META) noted that it would make advertisers disclose if AI or other digital products were used to alter or create political, social or election-related advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.