Kamala Harris deepfake shared by Musk sparks free speech debate
A fake Kamala Harris campaign ad using a manipulated version of her voice has become a flashpoint for the escalating debate over how to treat manipulated media.
A fake Kamala Harris campaign ad using a manipulated version of her voice has become a flash point in the escalating debate over how to treat manipulated media — often referred to as deepfakes — ahead of the 2024 election.
The fake Harris audio, recirculated by Elon Musk in a post that has been seen more than 150 million times, includes digs about diversity, President Joe Biden and border policies, as well as edited clips from real Harris appearances.
But reactions to the deepfake of Harris have been divided, with some saying it’s an example of a dangerous type of manipulated media that needs tight regulation, and others saying it’s a clear example of parody and thus deserves a different type of treatment.
“This is one of the most prominent political deepfakes to circulate so far, it concerns a major presidential candidate, and the misleading synthetic audio was reposted by the owner of the platform,” Lisa Gilbert, co-president of nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen, told NBC News. “The stakes are really high.”
A representative for Harris’ campaign confirmed to NBC News that the audio was fake and that the video was not a real campaign ad.
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