Political consultant Steven Kramer faces a $6 million fine and over two dozen criminal charges for using AI-generated robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden's voice to mislead voters ahead of New Hampshire's presidential primary. The FCC has proposed fines for both Kramer and the transmitting company, Lingo Telecom. Kramer admitted to orchestrating the calls, which falsely suggested that voting in the primary would preclude voters from casting ballots in November. The case marks the FCC's first involving generative AI technology, and new rules are being proposed to increase transparency in political communications using AI.
Political consultant Steve Kramer faces multiple indictments for sending AI-generated robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden's voice to New Hampshire voters on primary day, urging them to save their vote for November. Kramer claims the calls were meant to highlight the need for AI regulation, but he now faces charges of bribery, intimidation, suppression, and impersonation across several counties. Both Kramer and the Dean Phillips campaign, which had previously contracted him, deny any prior knowledge of the plan.
Republican operatives Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman have agreed to pay $1.25 million in a settlement after being found liable for launching a robocall campaign targeting Black voters in an attempt to discourage voting by mail during the 2020 U.S. election. The calls made false and threatening claims about mail-in voting, leading to a lawsuit by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. The operatives had previously pleaded guilty to telecommunications fraud in Ohio and were fined by the FCC for unlawful robocalls.
Political consultant Steve Kramer behind fake Biden robocalls in New Hampshire claims he was trying to raise awareness about the potential misuse of artificial intelligence in elections, rather than influence the primary outcome. Kramer paid a magician to create the recorded message, which mimicked Biden's voice and falsely suggested voter suppression. Authorities are investigating the calls for potential violation of voter suppression laws. Kramer, who has decades of campaign experience, believes his actions will lead to better regulation of AI in politics, despite facing scrutiny and potential legal consequences.
The FCC has officially ruled that using AI-generated voices in robocalls is illegal, aiming to crack down on fraudsters who use voice-cloning technology to perpetrate scams. The ruling clarifies that generating a voice with AI for a robocall is illegal in itself, as the technology's rising prevalence has made it easier and cheaper to perpetrate phone scams, including attempts to interfere with elections. This comes after New Hampshire voters received calls from a digitally generated voice impersonating President Biden, prompting a criminal investigation and a warning from the state's attorney general.
The US FCC has made AI-generated robocalls illegal, giving state authorities the power to prosecute bad actors behind these calls. This move comes in response to a rise in robocalls mimicking the voices of celebrities and political candidates, with the potential to confuse consumers with misinformation. The FCC's action expands legal avenues for holding perpetrators accountable and follows a letter from 26 state attorneys general urging restrictions on AI use in marketing calls. Concerns about deepfakes, which use AI to manipulate audio and video, have also emerged in the context of major elections worldwide.
The FCC has made AI-generated robocalls illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, following the discovery of nefarious robocalls with an AI-generated clone of President Biden's voice in New Hampshire. The ruling gives state attorneys general new tools to crack down on these scams, with violators facing steep fines. The decision comes after bipartisan efforts in Congress to regulate AI in political campaigns, and the FCC's recognition of the potential for AI-generated voices to mislead voters. The FCC's action sends a clear message that exploiting AI technology to mislead voters won’t be tolerated.
The FCC unanimously voted to ban unsolicited AI-generated robocalls, targeting those made with AI voice-cloning tools under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The regulation empowers the FCC to fine companies or block service providers using AI voices in calls, and allows call recipients to file lawsuits. The decision comes as New Hampshire authorities investigate AI-generated robocalls that mimicked President Joe Biden's voice to discourage voting. Violators can face steep fines, and the ruling classifies AI-generated voices in robocalls as "artificial" and enforceable by the same standards.
The FCC has declared the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal, citing concerns over scams and voter deception. This ruling allows for fines and lawsuits against robocallers using AI voice cloning, following instances of AI-generated voices being used to discourage voting and extort money from families. The decision comes as rapidly advancing technology raises fears over its potential for abuse, and deems calls made with AI-generated voices "artificial" under a 1991 federal law aimed at curbing junk calls, enabling the FCC to take action against violators and providing additional tools for prosecution.
The FCC has declared the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal, providing states with additional tools to combat fraudulent calls. This decision comes after an increase in robocalls using voice-cloning technology to mimic celebrities, political figures, and family members. Following a phony robocall impersonating President Biden ahead of New Hampshire's primary, state attorneys general are cracking down on such scams, with a criminal probe underway linking the AI-generated recording to two Texas companies. The incident has prompted U.S. Senators to press for action against disinformation campaigns, highlighting the broader issue of AI-generated content in the 2024 campaign cycle.
The FCC has banned the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls, targeting those who exploit the technology to deceive voters and scam people. The ruling empowers the FCC to fine companies and block service providers using AI voices, while also allowing call recipients to file lawsuits. The decision comes after AI-generated robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden's voice were used to discourage voting in New Hampshire's primary. Violators can face steep fines, and the regulation aims to crack down on the misuse of AI in robocalls.
Authorities in New Hampshire have issued cease-and-desist orders against two Texas companies, Life Corporation and Lingo Telecom, for their involvement in AI-generated robocalls that mimicked President Joe Biden's voice and discouraged voting in the state's primary. The calls, which falsely suggested that voting in the primary would prevent voters from casting a ballot in the general election, were sent to thousands of voters. The investigation, which is just beginning, could lead to charges under voter suppression laws and federal regulations, with potential fines and prison sentences. This incident highlights the growing concern over the use of advanced technology for election interference, prompting bipartisan efforts to combat such attempts.
New Hampshire Attorney General and the FCC have traced AI robocalls impersonating President Joe Biden back to a Texas company and its owner, Walter Monk. The calls, which reached roughly 20,000 people ahead of the New Hampshire presidential primary, encouraged Democrats not to vote. Authorities have issued a cease and desist order against the Texas company, and telecommunications company Lingo Telecom, which provided the voice service for the calls, has been instructed to stop behavior violating voter suppression laws. Concerns about deep-fake election meddling have been raised, and investigations are ongoing to identify other individuals or companies responsible.
The FCC issued a cease-and-desist order to a Texas telecom company, Lingo Telecom, for carrying out fake Joe Biden robocalls using AI technology. The New Hampshire attorney general also named Life Corporation as the source of the robocalls and accused them of violating voter suppression laws. Both companies have been asked to cease their activities, and the FCC is warning other telecom providers to be cautious of suspicious phone traffic from Lingo. This incident highlights growing concerns about the use of AI to spread misinformation and meddle in elections.
AI-generated robocalls imitating President Joe Biden's voice and spreading misinformation before New Hampshire's primary originated from a Texas-based outfit called Life Corporation and Walter Monk. The calls, estimated between 5,000 and 25,000, aimed to discourage voter participation and "spoofed" a number belonging to a former Democratic political committee. The New Hampshire Department of Justice's Election Law Unit, along with state and federal partners, investigated the calls and issued cease-and-desist orders. Lingo Telecom, which facilitated many of the calls, suspended services to Life Corporation, and the FCC ordered it to stop supporting robocall traffic. The Biden-Harris campaign condemned the disinformation and praised the swift action taken by the New Hampshire Attorney General. Investigators are also looking into unconfirmed reports that the deepfake calls may have involved technology from ElevenLabs.
