Deep-fakes that aim to manipulate election outcomes will soon become illegal in Latvia

The Latvian government is taking steps to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in pre-election campaigns, following a proposal by President Edgars Rinkevicius. The amendments to the Law on Pre-election Campaigning are aimed at differentiating between administrative and criminal offenses related to the use of AI.

The discussions on the use of AI during pre-election campaigns led to the proposal of these amendments. The political party "Jaunā Vienotība" (New Unity) submitted the proposal to regulate the use of AI by amending the Pre-election Campaign Law in the Saeima, the Latvian Parliament.

The amendments, once passed, will enter into force on the day following their promulgation. They are intended to regulate the use of AI in the context of pre-election campaigns, with a focus on preventing the use of deep-fake technology to disseminate false information about political parties, candidates, or elected officials during pre-election campaigns or on election day.

The amendments also criminalize the use of an automated data processing system to prevent people from participating in elections, initiating laws, holding referendums, or supporting European citizens' initiatives. This new offense can be punishable by up to five years' imprisonment, temporary deprivation of liberty, or probation supervision.

It is important to note that the amendments do not repeat the penalties previously mentioned, such as up to five years' imprisonment, temporary imprisonment, probation supervision, community service, or temporary deprivation of liberty. Similarly, they do not repeat the offenses previously mentioned, such as the use of deep-fake technology to disseminate false information or the use of an automated data processing system to prevent people from participating in elections.

In summary, the amendments to Latvia's Pre-election Campaigning Law aim to regulate the use of artificial intelligence, with a focus on preventing the dissemination of false information and the manipulation of the electoral process. These amendments are a significant step towards ensuring fair and transparent elections in Latvia.