Meta, the United States technology giant, stated that despite global fears, artificial intelligence had little impact on elections around the world. This was due to defensive measures to prevent coordinated networks of bots from influencing Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Meta ran election operations centers in various countries to monitor content issues, mainly disrupting covert influence operations orchestrated by Russia, Iran, and China.
Overall, the volume of AI-generated misinformation was low and quickly addressed by Meta. Despite concerns, generative AI had a modest impact during the largest election year in 2024. Deepfake videos and audio of political candidates were exposed and did not deceive public opinion. Though disinformation has shifted to other platforms like TikTok, Meta rejected requests to generate images of political figures leading up to the election.
In response to concerns, President Biden outlined plans to harness AI for national security, emphasizing the need for safe and trustworthy development. Meta has faced criticism for censorship and online abuses, with Human Rights Watch accusing them of silencing pro-Palestine voices. Republican lawmakers have raised concerns about censorship of certain viewpoints on social media, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg regretting content takedowns under pressure from the Biden administration.
Despite challenges, Meta remains committed to improving content moderation precision and accuracy, acknowledging the need to balance reducing bad content without overdoing it. Zuckerberg aims to shape tech policy under the incoming administration, especially regarding AI. Trump, who has criticized Meta for censoring conservative viewpoints, met with Zuckerberg to discuss these issues. Ultimately, Meta’s efforts to combat misinformation and maintain transparency in content moderation continue amid ongoing challenges.
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